Association of location of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations with benefit from olaparib and bevacizumab maintenance in high-grade ovarian cancer: phase III PAOLA-1/ENGOT-ov25 trial subgroup exploratory analysis.

BACKGROUND: In the phase III PAOLA-1 study, the addition of maintenance olaparib to bevacizumab in patients with newly diagnosed high-grade ovarian cancer (HGOC) resulted in prolonged progression-free survival (PFS), particularly for homologous recombination deficiency-positive tumors, including those with a BRCA mutation (BRCAm). The magnitude of benefit from olaparib and bevacizumab according to the location of mutation in BRCA1/BRCA2 remains to be explored. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with advanced-stage HGOC responding after platinum-based chemotherapy + bevacizumab received maintenance therapy bevacizumab (15 mg/kg q3w for 15 months) + either olaparib (300 mg b.i.d. for 24 months) or placebo. PFS was analyzed in the subgroup of patients with BRCA1m/BRCA2m according to mutation location in the functional domains of BRCA1 [Really Interesting Gene (RING), DNA-binding domain (DBD), or C-terminal domain of BRCA1 (BRCT)] and BRCA2 [RAD51-binding domain (RAD51-BD); DBD]. RESULTS: From 806 randomized patients, 159 harbored BRCA1m (19.7%) and 74 BRCA2m (9.2%). BRCA1m in RING, DBD, and BRCT domains was detected in 18, 40, and 33 patients, and BRCA2m in RAD51-BD and DBD in 36 and 13 patients, respectively. After a median follow-up of 25.5 months, benefit from maintenance olaparib + bevacizumab was observed irrespective of location of BRCAm. The benefit was particularly high for those with BRCA1m located in the DBD, with 24-month PFS estimated to be 89% and 15% [olaparib + bevacizumab versus placebo + bevacizumab hazard ratio = 0.08 (95% confidence interval 0.02-0.28); interaction P = 0.03]. In BRCA2m patients, 24-month PFS rates for those with mutations located in the DBD were 90% and 100% (olaparib + bevacizumab versus placebo + bevacizumab), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Advanced-stage BRCA-mutated HGOC patients reported PFS benefit from maintenance olaparib and bevacizumab regardless of mutation location. The benefit is particularly high for patients with mutations located in the DBD of BRCA1. Mutations located in the DBD of BRCA2 are also associated with excellent outcome.

Germline BRCA pathogenic variants in patients with ovarian cancer and post-poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor myeloid neoplasms.

BACKGROUND: Among patients with advanced high-grade ovarian carcinoma (aHGOC) treated with poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors (PARPis), the presence of a germline BRCA pathogenic variant (gBRCA-PV) may increase the risk of bone marrow mutagenesis resulting in postcytotoxic therapy myelodysplastic neoplasms (MDS-pCT) or acute myeloid leukemia (AML-pCT), as it is expressed in heterozygosity also by hematopoietic progenitors. We aimed to investigate the occurrence of post-PARPi MDSs/AMLs-pCTs according to gBRCA-PV status. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective single-center study to evaluate MDS/AML-pCT in patients with aHGOC and a known gBRCA-PV status receiving at least 8 weeks of maintenance PARPi, in any line of therapy, from February 2017 to December 2022. The endpoint was the proportion of patients who experienced MDSs-pCT and AMLs-pCT during and after treatment with PARPi, in gBRCA-PV carriers and non-carriers. RESULTS: A total of 166 patients were included: 95 (57%) had a gBRCA-PV and 72% received PARPi for recurrent disease. The number of lines of chemotherapies before and after PARPi, median overall survival, and median follow-up were comparable between gBRCA-PV carriers and non-carriers. After a median follow-up of 40.0 (95% confidence interval: 35.7-44.3) months, 10 (6%) patients were diagnosed with an MDS-pCT and 4 (2%) with an AML-pCT. A higher proportion of MDSs/AMLs-pCT (10% versus 2%; P = 0.16) and, in particular, of MDSs-pCT (9% versus 1%; P = 0.04) was observed among gBRCA-PV carriers. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of a gBRCA-PV is associated with a higher risk of MDS-pCT and possibly of myeloid neoplasms after PARPi in patients with aHGOC who received PARPi, especially in the setting of recurrent disease.

A prognostic nomogram to predict overall survival in patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: Patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer have variable prognosis and survival. We extend previous work on prediction of progression-free survival by developing a nomogram to predict overall survival (OS) in these patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The nomogram was developed using data from the CAELYX in Platinum-Sensitive Ovarian Patients (CALYPSO) trial. Multivariate proportional hazards models were generated based on pre-treatment characteristics to develop a nomogram that classifies patient prognosis based on OS outcome. We also developed two simpler models with fewer variables and conducted model validations in independent datasets from AGO-OVAR Study 2.5 and ICON 4. We compare the performance of the nomogram with the simpler models by examining the differences in the C-statistics and net reclassification index (NRI). RESULTS: The nomogram included six significant predictors: interval from last platinum chemotherapy, performance status, size of the largest tumour, CA-125, haemoglobin and the number of organ sites of metastasis (C-statistic 0.67; 95% confidence interval 0.65-0.69). Among the CALPYSO patients, the median OS for good, intermediate and poor prognosis groups was 56.2, 31.0 and 20.8 months, respectively. When CA-125 was not included in the model, the C-statistics were 0.65 (CALYPSO) and 0.64 (AGO-OVAR 2.5). A simpler model (interval from last platinum chemotherapy, performance status and CA-125) produced a significant decrease of the C-statistic (0.63) and NRI (26.4%, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: This nomogram with six pre-treatment characteristics improves OS prediction in patients with platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer and is superior to models with fewer prognostic factors or platinum chemotherapy free interval alone. With independent validation, this nomogram could potentially be useful for improved stratification of patients in clinical trials and also for counselling patients.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy prior to pelvic exenteration in patients with recurrent cervical cancer: single institution experience.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study is to evaluate the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACHT) of patients with recurrent cervical cancer who were poor candidates for pelvic exenteration (PE), and the impact on DFS and OS. METHODS: A retrospective data collection extracted from medical records of 61 patients submitted to pelvic exenteration was performed: 30 underwent up-front exenterative procedure whereas 31 received NACHT. RESULTS: The median tumor size was significantly (P=0.0006) larger in the NACHT group compared to the up-front PE one (43.9 mm vs 28 mm), and a significant (P=0.04) higher percentage of patients (45 vs 20%) had lateral pelvic wall invasion in the NACHT group. No statistically significant difference in early and late complications was observed in the two groups. Median overall survival in study population was 42.9 months (95% CI: 22.2, 180.8). Median overall survival times as well as recurrence free survival times were not significantly different between NACHT (42.9 months and 36.1 months for OS and DFS respectively) vs. No NACHT (111.9 months and 48.1 months for OS and DFS respectively). There was an overall significant difference in DFS between negative and positive margins but the curves were similar for NACHT and up-front PE groups stratified by resection margin status. CONCLUSIONS: In our series, though small and retrospective, NACHT prior to PE represents a feasible therapeutic option without intra-operative and early post-operative mortality or worsening of early and late complication rate and with acceptable long-term survival and DFS for recurrent cervical cancer patients who are poor candidates for up-front pelvic exenteration.

Prognostic nomogram to predict progression-free survival in patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: Patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer are a heterogeneous group, and it is not possible to accurately predict the progression-free survival (PFS) in these patients. We developed and validated a nomogram to help improve prediction of PFS in patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. METHODS: The nomogram was developed in a training cohort (n=955) from the CALYPSO trial and validated in the AGO-OVAR 2.5 Study (n=340). The proportional-hazards model (nomogram) was based on pre-treatment characteristics. RESULTS: The nomogram had a concordance index (C-index) of 0.645. Significant predictors were tumour size platinum-chemotherapy-free interval, CA-125, number of organ metastatic sites and white blood count. When the nomogram was applied without CA-125 (CA-125 was not available in validation cohort), the C-indices were 0.624 (training) and 0.594 (validation). When classification was based only on the platinum-chemotherapy-free interval, the indices were 0.571 (training) and 0.560 (validation). The calibration plot in the validation cohort based on four predictors (without CA-125) suggested good agreement between actual and nomogram-predicted 12-month PFS probabilities. CONCLUSION: This nomogram, using five pre-treatment characteristics, improves prediction of PFS in patients with platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer having platinum-based chemotherapy. It will be useful for the design and stratification of patients in clinical trials and also for counselling patients.

Stroke Work Damping Ratio is Increased in Trained Athletes.

INTRODUCTION: Athletes training is often associated with morphological changes in the heart. In this sense, the ventricular pressure-volume (PV) relation provides a complete characterization of cardiac pump performance. Regarding the arterial system (AS), arterial wall viscosity is a source of energy dissipation, that takes place during mechanical transduction. Left ventricular stroke work (SW) constitutes the useful fraction of ventricular energy that is delivered to the AS. OBJECTIVE: Left ventricular PV-loops were evaluated in terms of AS viscous property, by means of the interaction of two SW components (Stroke Work Damping Ratio, SWDR), both in untrained and trained subjects. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fourteen healthy individuals (seven trained) were noninvasively evaluated in terms of echocardiographic and aortic pressure measurements. RESULTS: SWDR was observed to be increased in trained subjects. CONCLUSION: SWDR was evaluated in trained individuals, being increased in comparison with the non-trained group. This effect is a consequence of a significant increase of SWD, which could be related with the viscous mechanical property of AS.

Arterial-Ventricular Coupling Impairment is Evidenced in Both Normal and Ischemic Subjects by Applying Cluster Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Left ventricular (LV) interaction with the arterial system (arterial-ventricular coupling, AVC) is a central determinant of cardiovascular performance and cardiac energetics. Stress Echocardiography (SE) constitutes a valuable clinical tool in both diagnosis and risk stratification of patients with suspected and established coronary artery disease. Cluster Analysis (CA), an unsupervised Machine Learning technique, defines an exploratory statistical method which can be used to uncover natural groups within data. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the capacity of CA to identify uncoupled groups with ischemic condition based on SE baseline information. MATERIAL AND METHODS: CA was applied to SE data acquired at baseline and peak exercise (PE) conditions. Obtained clusters were evaluated in terms of coupling conditions and LV wall motility alterations. RESULTS: Inter cluster significant AVC differences were obtained in terms of baseline data and changes in wall motility, confirmed by CA applied to PE data. CONCLUSION: AVC impairment was evidenced in both normal and ischemic subjects by applying CA.

Phase II of oral gimatecan in patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or peritoneal cancer, previously treated with platinum and taxanes.

BACKGROUND: A prospective phase II study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of oral gimatecan in patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or peritoneal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients had a maximum of three prior chemotherapy lines with no more than two prior platinum-containing regimens and a progression-free interval after the last dose of platinum <12 months. A total dose of 4 mg/m(2)/cycle (0.8 mg/m(2)/day from day 1 to day 5) was administered, repeated every 28 days. RESULTS: From June 2005 to December 2005, 69 assessable patients were enrolled. The best overall response to study treatment by combined CA-125 and RECIST criteria was partial response in 17 patients (24.6%) and disease stabilization in 22 patients (31.9%). The median time to progression and overall survival were 3.8 and 16.2 months, respectively. A total of 312 cycles were administered. Neutropenia grade 4 and thrombocytopenia grade 4 occurred in 17.4% and 7.2% of patients, respectively. Diarrhea grade 4 was never observed. Asthenia and fatigue were reported by 36.2% and 18.8% of patients, but were all grade 2 or less. CONCLUSION: Gimatecan is a new active agent in previously treated ovarian cancer with myelosuppression as main toxicity.

Arterial-Ventricular Coupling Evaluation in Individuals with Stress-Evidenced Diastolic Dysfunction: A Pilot Study.

INTRODUCTION: Arterial-ventricular coupling (AVC) has been recognized as a key determinant of global cardiovascular performance. Diastolic dysfunction (DD) occurs when inadequate filling of the ventricles is related to an abnormal elevation of intracardiac filling pressures. In some cases, DD is evidenced during cardiac stress, provoked by exercise. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate AVC in individuals with stress evidenced DD, in relation to controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Stress echocardiography was applied to assess cardiac function during exercise. Arterial-ventricular coupling was evaluated, based on the assessment of left ventricular and arterial elastances. RESULTS: AVC showed a significant difference at peak exercise compared to controls, basically due to a loss of cardiac contractility. CONCLUSION: The manifestation of AVC coupling imbalance could act as a complementary parameter to support the diagnosis of DD.

A phase II, randomized trial of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy comparing a three-drug combination of paclitaxel, ifosfamide, and cisplatin (TIP) versus paclitaxel and cisplatin (TP) followed by radical surgery in patients with locally advanced squamous cell cervical carcinoma: the Snap-02 Italian Collaborative Study.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy and tolerability of the regimen containing paclitaxel and cisplatin (TP) in the neo-adjuvant treatment of locally advanced squamous cell cervical cancer are unknown. The TIP regimen (TP plus ifosfamide) showed high efficacy but high toxicity and it is used as an internal control. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In all, 154 patients were randomized to TP (paclitaxel 175 mg/m(2) + cisplatin 75 mg/m(2); n = 80) or TIP (TP + ifosfamide 5 g/m(2); n = 74), three cycles, followed by radical surgery. Pathological response to chemotherapy was classified as optimal [no residual tumor (complete response) or residual disease with < or = 3 mm stromal invasion (PR1)] or suboptimal response. RESULTS: Patient characteristics (TP/TIP): stage IB2 (56%/64%), IIA (18%/14%), IIB (20%/19%), III-IVA (5%/4%) and median age (42 years/45 years). The optimal response rate in the TP group was 25%, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 16% to 37% and 43%, 95% CI = 31% to 55% in the TIP group. Grades 3-4 leukopenia (6%/53%) and neutropenia (26%/76%) were significantly more frequent on TIP. CONCLUSION: TP performance was below expectation since the lower 95% confidence limit of the optimal response rate failed to reach the prespecified minimum requirement of efficacy, i.e. 22%. The TIP regimen confirmed its activity but was associated with higher haematological toxicity than TP.

Randomized controlled trial of single-agent paclitaxel versus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and cisplatin in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer who responded to first-line platinum-based regimens.

PURPOSE: To assess the activity, efficacy, and tolerability of single-agent paclitaxel and a platinum-containing regimen in previously treated patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients who achieved complete remission with platinum-based regimens and whose disease recurred after a progression-free interval of more than 12 months were included in the study. Every 21 days, patients received paclitaxel 175 mg/m(2) intravenously (IV) over 3 hours or cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m(2), doxorubicin 50 mg/m(2), and cisplatin 50 mg/m(2) (CAP) IV. RESULTS: Between June 1992 and May 1995, 97 consecutive patients with assessable or measurable disease were randomized to paclitaxel (n = 50) or CAP (n = 47). The median number of cycles on each arm was six. Toxicities included grade 3/4 leukopenia (4% for paclitaxel v 34% for CAP), grade 3/4 neutropenia (13% v 36%), grade 1/2 myalgia (19% v 4%), allergic reactions (15% v 2%), and grade 2/3 nausea and vomiting (17% v 51%). Complete responses were achieved in 17% and 30% of patients receiving paclitaxel and CAP, respectively, and partial responses were achieved in 28% and 25%, respectively (P =.062). At a median follow-up time of 49 months, median progression-free intervals were 9 months for paclitaxel and 15.7 months for CAP (Cox analysis: hazards ratio [HR], 0.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.37 to 0.97; P =.038); median overall survival times were 25.8 months for paclitaxel and 34.7 months for CAP (Cox analysis: HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.34 to 0.98; P =.043). CONCLUSION: Rechallenge with either single-agent paclitaxel or platinum-based chemotherapy is effective in this patient population. Preliminary results suggest that single-agent paclitaxel may not be as active as platinum-based chemotherapy in recurrent ovarian cancer. Larger randomized trials are needed.

Dose-finding study of paclitaxel and cyclophosphamide in patients with advanced breast cancer.

Escalating doses of paclitaxel (Taxol; Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, NJ) (administered as a 3-hour infusion) and cyclophosphamide have been given to patients with advanced breast cancer every 3 weeks to determine the maximum tolerated dose of the two drugs in combination without granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) support. The maximum tolerated dose of the same regimen with G-CSF support will then be determined in a subsequent group of patients. Patients who had received no more than one prior chemotherapy regimen for advanced disease were eligible for this study. The need for G-CSF support was established by an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) less than 0.5 x 10(9)/L for more than 7 days, an ANC count less than 0.1 x 10(9)/L for more than 3 days, febrile neutropenia requiring intravenous antibiotics, World Health Organization grade 3 or greater mucositis for more than 7 days, or the failure of the ANC to recover by day 28. The maximum tolerated dose was defined as the dose level at which more than two of six patients treated needed G-CSF support during the second treatment cycle. To date, 20 patients have been entered at the following dose levels: paclitaxel 135 mg/m2 and cyclophosphamide 750 mg/m2 (level 1), paclitaxel 155 mg/m2 and cyclophosphamide 750 mg/m2 (level 2), paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 and cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2 (level 3), and paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 and cyclophosphamide 750 mg/m2 (level 4). Only one patient at level 2 needed G-CSF support because of an ANC below 0.1 x 10(9)/L for more than 3 days after the first cycle. Neither febrile neutropenia nor treatment delay for more than 1 week was reported. Antitumor activity has been observed from level 3. The evaluation of the toxicity of paclitaxel 200 mg/m2 and cyclophosphamide 175 mg/m2 without G-CSF support is ongoing.

A randomized comparison of continuous versus interrupted mass closure of midline incisions in patients with gynecologic cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To address the incidence of deep wound dehiscence and incisional hernia formation with two types of mass closure after vertical midline laparotomy performed in patients with gynecologic cancer. METHODS: Continuous and interrupted mass closures were compared randomly in 632 patients. Both methods were performed with absorbable material. Of the 614 subjects who could be evaluated, 308 underwent a continuous, non-locking closure with looped polyglyconate suture, and 306 were closed with interrupted polyglycolic acid according to the Smead-Jones technique. RESULTS: Three (1%) subjects with the continuous closure and five (1.6%) with the interrupted closure had an abdominal wound infection (P = .50). One patient whose incision was closed with continuous suturing had a deep wound dehiscence (without evisceration). The follow-up period was 6 months to 3 years. No patient had evidence of chronic sinus drainage. Thirty-two (10.4%) of the patients who had the continuous closure and 45 (14.7%) of those who were closed with the interrupted method had evidence of incisional hernia (P = .14). No hernia developed in any patient with a wound infection. Four (1.3%) hernias after the continuous closure and eight (2.6%) after the interrupted closure required surgical repair because of patient discomfort (P = .38). CONCLUSION: The interrupted closure was not superior to the continuous closure for short- and long-term wound security. The continuous method was preferable because it was more cost-efficient and faster.

Long-term peripheral neurotoxicity of cisplatin in patients with successfully treated epithelial ovarian cancer.

We evaluated clinically and neurophysiologically the immediate and long-term involvement of the peripheral nervous system in 22 selected patients with epithelial ovarian cancer successfully treated with DDP alone or in combination with non-neurotoxic drugs. While the motor nerves were unaffected, generally the involvement of sensory nerves was more severe at the examination performed several months after DDP discontinuation than at the evaluation performed after the "induction phase". We conclude that up to now the importance of long-term DDP-induced peripheral nerve damage has probably been underestimated. DDP-induced long-term damage is at least as severe as the immediate toxicity and, moreover, it is likely that complete recovery can occur, if ever, only years after DDP discontinuation.

Neural networks learning with sliding mode control: the sliding mode backpropagation algorithm.

Based on the classical backpropagation weight update equations, sliding mode control theory is introduced as a technique to adapt weights of a multi-layer perceptron. As will be demonstrated, the introduction of sliding mode has resulted in a much faster version of the standard backpropagation. The results show also that the proposed algorithm presents some important features of sliding mode control, which are robustness and high speed of learning. In addition to that, this paper shows also how control theory can be applied to train neural networks.

Role of conservative surgery in ovarian cancer: the European experience.

Although less frequently than in older women, about 15% of invasive epithelial ovarian cancer may occur in young women, for whom preservation of fertility potential is an important clinical goal. We reviewed the published evidences from the European literature on the role of conservative surgery in women with invasive epithelial ovarian cancer. Three reports were identified from the Italian and French literature; the data were analyzed together with our own experience in terms of relapse rate, relapse in the preserved ovary, survival, and fertility outcome. A total of 152 conservative surgeries were reported: 88 patients with stage IA, 2 with stage IB, 51 with stage IC, 2 with stage II, 3 with stage IIIA, and 6 with stage IIIC. Relapses occurred in 18/152 patients (11.8%) and involved the preserved ovary in 11 cases (7%). Fifty-three pregnancies were recorded with 38 uneventful term deliveries, 2 ectopic pregnancies, 6 spontaneous abortions, 4 terminations, and 2 with unknown outcome. Nine patients (5.9%) have died of disease. These findings confirm that young women with stage I invasive epithelial ovarian cancer may receive a successful treatment of their disease without sacrificing fertility.

Medical therapy of advanced malignant epithelial tumours of the ovary.

Despite improvements seen in median and overall survival using a combination of platinum-compounds and paclitaxel (PTX), long-term survival rates for patients with advanced epithelial ovarian carcinoma remain disappointing and ongoing efforts have aimed to develop more effective primary therapy. In the early 1990Os the drug PTX was first tested in ovarian cancer. In the Gynaecological Oncology Group (GOG) trial 111 the cisplatin (CP)+PTX regimen was judged to be superior compared to the platinum-based control arm with an improvement of overall response rate, median progression-free interval and overall median survival. These favourable data were confirmed by a European-Canadian Intergroup trial (OV10). In contrast, in a further GOG trial (GOG132) there was no difference in survival between CP alone and the combination of PTX and CP. The International Collaborative Ovarian Neoplasm Study (ICON)3 is the first and only trial comparing PTX plus carboplatin against carboplatin alone or a (non-taxane) CP-based control arm. The last analysis performed with a total of 1,293 events showed an estimated absolute difference in one-year progression-free survival of 1% and in two-year overall survival of 2% both in favour of PTX plus carboplatin. The results of ICON3, in accordance with GOG132 study, appear to contradict the earlier positive results seen for PTX and CP in the GOG-111 and OV10 trials and suggested that single agent carboplatin, CY-adriamycin-CP are safe and effective first-line treatments for women requiring chemotherapy for ovarian cancer. A meta-analysis with individual patient data is warranted to better clarify the issue of PTX in the front line therapy of advanced ovarian cancer. Salvage chemotherapy is often utilised in patients with advanced ovarian cancer, due to the high frequency of recurrent disease even after a clinical or pathological complete response after primary chemotherapy. Main objectives of salvage chemotherapy include: i. improvement in quality of life and symptoms; ii. tumour load reduction and survival advantage; iii. evaluation of potentially active new drugs to be included in first-line. Since the goal is palliation in most cases, monotherapy is generally indicated. However, the chances of response are directly related to the treatment-free interval, with a response rate nearly equivalent to that of primary chemotherapy when the treatment-free interval exceeds 24 months. Extension of the platinum-free interval before re-treatment with platinum or taxanes may allow partial reversal of resistance to these agents which can therefore still show significant activity in relapsing patients. Unfortunately, durable response to salvage chemotherapy is rare and cure is almost impossible. The sequential use of the agents currently available for salvage treatment in monotherapy may transform ovarian cancer into a chronic disease and confers long survival to the patients. Perhaps, the most interesting role of second-line chemotherapy is to identify new potentially active drugs, which can be moved up-front. Most of the compounds used in second line (gemcitabine, topotecan, liposomal doxorubicin) are in fact under investigation to develop alternative schedules and sequences of drug administration. A new phase III multi-national randomised study for patients with advanced stage epithelial ovarian or primary periperitoneal carcinoma will evaluate the impact of incorporating a new drug within either a platinum-based triplet (new drug + platinum + PTX) or a sequential-doublet (new drug + platinum followed by platinum + PTX) in order to identify one or more experimental regimens able to improve long-term survival with acceptable toxicity.