TRIAL SUGGESTS BENEFIT OF HORMONAL THERAPY FOR OVARIAN

According to the results of a Phase II clinical trial published in the British Journal of Cancer, the combination of Nolvadex (tamoxifen) and Zoladex (goserelin) was well-tolerated by patients with chemotherapy-resistant ovarian cancer and produced an antitumor response in half the patients treated.

Nolvadex is an anti-estrogen and Zoladex is a luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist. The study enrolled 26 patients with advanced ovarian cancer. The patients had received a median of three chemotherapy regimens before entering the study, and 17 had cancer that was resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy drugs. Patients were treated with oral Nolvadex twice a day and an injection of Zoladex once a month until their cancer worsened.

Hormonal therapy is one approach that has been explored for the treatment of chemotherapy-resistant ovarian cancer. Hormonal therapies include anti-estrogens, estrogens, progestogens, aromatase inhibitors, and LHRH agonists.