Phase III Trial of Carboplatin Plus Paclitaxel With or Without Gemcitabine in First-Line Treatment of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Purpose One attempt to improve long-term survival in patients with advanced ovarian cancer was thought to be the addition of more non–cross-resistant drugs to platinum-paclitaxel combination regimens. Gemcitabine was among the candidates for a third drug. Patients and Methods We performed a prospective, randomized, phase III, intergroup trial to compare carboplatin plus paclitaxel (TC; area under the curve [AUC] 5 and 175 mg/m2, respectively) with the same combination and additional gemcitabine 800 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 (TCG) in previously untreated patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. TC was administered intravenously (IV) on day 1 every 21 days for a planned minimum of six courses. Gemcitabine was administered by IV on days 1 and 8 of each cycle in the TCG arm. Results Between 2002 and 2004, 1,742 patients were randomly assigned; 882 and 860 patients received TC and TCG, respectively. Grades 3 to 4 hematologic toxicity and fatigue occurred more frequently in the TCG arm. Accordingly, qualit...