Dr. Berger on Frontline Treatment Options in Newly Diagnosed Advanced Ovarian Cancer

Jessica Layne Berger, MD, gynecologic oncologist, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Hillman Cancer Center, discusses frontline treatment options in newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer.

Currently, platinum- and taxane-based chemotherapies are the standard of care in this patient population, explains Berger. However, chemotherapy can be given in a standard every-3-week fashion, a dose-dense fashion, or regionally with intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy. Moreover, chemotherapy can be given weekly without increasing the dose density to try to make it more tolerable for patients. These approaches allow for individualized treatment, says Berger.

IP chemotherapy is associated with a higher incidence of gastrointestinal toxicities, dehydration and electrolyte abnormalities versus dose-dense chemotherapy, says Berger. Additionally, abdominal port complications are common with IP chemotherapy.

Conversely, patients have a higher risk of developing anemia from dose-dense chemotherapy versus every-3-week dosing, says Berger. Additionally, the discontinuation rate may be higher with dose-dense chemotherapy compared with chemotherapy given every 3 weeks.