Researchers by University of Edimburgh have evaluated the efficacy of the aromatase inhibitor Letrozole ( Femara ) in preselected estrogen receptor ( ER ) – positive relapsed epithelial ovarian cancer patients.

The patients have been treated with Letrozole 2.5 mg daily until clinical or marker evidence of disease progression in previously treated ER-positive ovarian cancer patients with a rising CA125 that had progressed according to Rustin's criteria.

Of 42 patients evaluable for CA125 response, 17% had a response ( decrease of > 50% ), and 26% patients had not progressed ( doubling of CA125 ) following 6 months on treatment.

The median time taken to achieve the CA125 nadir was 13 weeks ( range 10-36 ).

Of 33 patients evaluable for radiological response, 9% had a partial remission, and 42% had stable disease at 12 weeks.

Eleven patients ( 26% ) had a progression-free survival of > 6 months.

Expression levels of HER2, insulin-like growth factor binding protein 5, trefoil factor 1, and vimentin were associated with CA125 changes on treatment.

This is the first study of a hormonal agent in a preselected group of ER-positive ovarian cancer patients.

The American Cancer Society predicts that there will be about 22,430 new cases of ovarian cancer and about 15,280 deaths from ovarian cancer in the U.S. this year.

Source: Clinical Cancer Research, 2007

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