A randomized, phase III study (AGO-OVAR-9, GINECO-TCG, NSGO-OC-0102): Gemcitabine-paclitaxel-carboplatin (TCG) versus paclitaxel-carboplatin (TC) as first-line treatment of ovarian cancer (OC): Survival of FIGO stage I-IIA patients.

LBA5510 Background: One option to increase the efficacy of TC in pts with first diagnosis of ovarian cancer is to add a not cross-resistant drug. METHODS We conducted a randomized, prospective, stratified, phase III study comparing therapy with TC to TC plus gemcitabine. From 7/02 to 4/04, pts with a histological verified first diagnosis of epithelial OC, FIGO IC-IV were randomized to either TC (paclitaxel [T] 175 mg/m2 3h iv d1 + carboplatin [C] AUC 5 iv d1) or TCG (TC + gemcitabine [G] 800 mg/m2 iv d1+8) for at least 6 cycles every 21 days starting within 6 weeks post-operatively. The randomization was balanced within three strata: 1) FIGO I-IIA, 2) FIGO IIB-IIIC with residual tumor ≤ 10mm, 3) FIGO IIB-IIIC with residual tumor > 10 mm or FIGO IV. Primary endpoint is overall survival. RESULTS We enrolled 1,742 pts and administered 5,268 cycles TC and 5,129 cycles TCG. All baseline characteristics of the patients in both arms were well balanced. Most pts received 6+ cycles (87.2% TC, 86.2% TCG). Previous interim analyses has shown that TCG was tolerable but induced more hematological toxicity and final analysis has shown that addition of gemcitabine did not improve overall survival in patients with FIGO stage IIB-IV disease. Approximately 11% of the patients (n = 175) had FIGO stage I-IIA disease (stratum I). Most patients received 6+ cycles (93.3% TC, 86.9% TCG). With a median follow-up of 53.8 (range 0 -75) months, and using the log rank test and Cox regression analysis, no relevant differences in progression free survival (first quartile about 57 months and median ≥ 75 months in both groups, HR = 0.90 [95% CI: 0.47-1.72], p = 0.7500) and a negative trend in overall survival (first quartile ≥ 75 months in both groups, HR = 2.19 [95% CI: 0.75-6.41], p = 0.1419) were seen. CONCLUSIONS Addition of G to TC did not improve efficacy in patients with stage I-IIA ovarian cancer. This was also the case for stratum II-III patients (previously reported). The addition of G to TC in patients with first diagnosis of ovarian cancer cannot be recommended. [Table: see text].