Background: Data from prospective clinical trials are needed to better define standards of care in elderly patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma and to demonstrate the interest of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) in this fragile and heterogeneous population.
Patients and methods: From July 1998 to October 2000, 83 advanced ovarian carcinoma patients >70 years old received carboplatin AUC 5 and cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2, on day 1 of six 28-day cycles. The clinical and biological geriatric covariates prospectively studied were: comorbidities, comedications, cognitive functions (Mini-Mental test), nutritional status and autonomy.
Results: Patient characteristics were: median age 76 years, serous histology (73%), FIGO stage III (75%), optimal initial surgery (21%) and performance status (PS) > or =2 (44%). Sixty patients (72%) received six chemotherapy cycles without severe toxicity (STox) or tumor progression. Multivariate analysis retained three factors as independent predictors of STox: symptoms of depression at baseline (P = 0.006), dependence (P = 0.048) and PS > or =2 (P = 0.026). Independent prognostic factors identified for overall survival (Cox model) were depression (P = 0.003), FIGO stage IV (P = 0.007) and more than six different comedications per day (P = 0.043).
Conclusion: CGA could predict STox and overall survival of elderly advanced ovarian carcinoma patients.