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Tamoxifen for relapse of ovarian cancerWilliams C, Simera I
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SummaryNo evidence to suggest tamoxifen benefits patients with relapsed ovarian cancerOvarian cancer often spreads before symptoms show. Cytotoxic drugs are often only partly effective and cause severe side-effects. The main aims of treatment for relapsed disease are symptom control and prolongation of life. Tamoxifen has few side-effects. Laboratory studies suggest it might be active in ovarian cancer. Uncontrolled trials on patients with relapsed ovarian cancer, showed tamoxifen may shrink or stabilise tumours in a small number, but did not show that patients feel better or live longer as a result.
This is a Cochrane review abstract and plain language summary, prepared and maintained by The Cochrane Collaboration, currently published in The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2010 Issue 1, Copyright © 2010 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.. The full text of the review is available in The Cochrane Library (ISSN 1464-780X).
This version first published online:
April 27. 1998 AbstractBackgroundTamoxifen is an important drug for treating breast cancer. Ovarian cancer cells are known to possess receptors for hormones and may thus also respond to tamoxifen. ObjectivesTamoxifen is used to treat breast cancer in women whose tumours have oestrogen receptors. Since ovarian cancers also commonly have oestrogen receptors, it has been suggested that tamoxifen may be of some benefit. The objective of this review was to assess the effects of tamoxifen in women with relapsed ovarian cancer. Search strategyWe searched the Cochrane Gynaecological Cancer Group trials register and references from relevant articles. We also contacted researchers and drug companies. Selection criteriaRandomised and non-randomised studies of tamoxifen in women with ovarian cancer who have not responded to conventional chemotherapy. Only trials involving 10 or more patients were included. Data collection and analysisOne reviewer assessed eligibility and extracted data from non-randomised studies. Two reviewers were to have independently assessed the quality and extracted data from any randomised trials found. Main resultsData from eleven non-randomised series, one non-randomised phase two study and two randomised trials were included. Only observational data from women treated with tamoxifen are reported. Sixty of 623 women (9.6%) treated with tamoxifen achieved an objective response to treatment. However this varied from 0% to 56% in different studies. Stable disease, for variable periods of four weeks or more, was observed in 131 of 411 (31.9%) women from eight studies. Authors' conclusionsThere is some evidence from observational studies that tamoxifen may produce a response in a modest proportion of women with relapsed ovarian cancer. However, there are no reliable data from randomised controlled trials. |