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Until 2014, no new therapeutic agent have been approved by authorities in more than 2 decades for bladder cancer. But the panel of treatments has expended in recent years with the emergence of at least 3 different therapeutic classes. First, the immune checkpoint inhibitors that have demonstrated an overall survival benefit in metastatic patients after failure of platinum based chemotherapy. They are therefore currently evaluated alone or in combination with chemotherapy in multiple studies at earlier stages (localized and meta-static). The second and third therapeutic classes are the targeted therapies (especially FGFR inhibitor) and the antibody-drug conjugates with promising results in early clinical trials. In this article, we review all the current and future studies conducted in urothelial carcinoma of the bladder.

Resume Dans le cadre de la prise en charge du cancer du rein metastatique, les therapies systemiques ont pour la majorite une galenique orale et s’accompagnent frequemment d’effets secondaires qui peuvent compromettre l’observance. Des strategies de pause therapeutique se sont donc developpees et, en cas de maladie indolente et oligometastatique, des etudes ont egalement montre la possibilite d’une surveillance active afin de retarder l’introduction du traitement systemique. Une prise en charge multimodale associant la realisation de traitements focaux aux traitements systemiques peut avoir plusieurs objectifs : repousser l’initiation d’une therapeutique systemique, en controlant localement les localisations metastatiques, permettre la realisation d’une pause therapeutique en cas de reponse partielle au traitement systemique en controlant localement les localisations secondaires, et ne pas changer de ligne therapeutique precocement en cas de reponse dissociee au traitement systemique avec prise en charge focale de la ou des metastase(s) en progression. Les techniques de traitements focaux disponibles sont les metastasectomies, la radiologie interventionnelle (cryotherapie ou radiofrequence) et l’irradiation stereotaxique. Si les donnees, majoritairement retrospectives, de la litterature semblent valider ces differents types de traitements du fait d’un bon controle local et de toxicites gerables, peu d’etudes ont etudie la prise en charge multimodale selon les objectifs suscites. Un recueil prospectif de ces pratiques est donc primordial, notamment depuis l’avenement de l’immunotherapie dans le cancer du rein metastatique. De plus, une discussion en reunion de concertation disciplinaire reste essentielle pour valider l’agencement entre traitements systemiques et traitements focaux qui beneficiera le mieux au patient.

Until recently, the first-line treatments used in metastatic renal cell carcinoma were based on first-generation anti-VEGFR (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) as monotherapy. Trials combining immunotherapy (IO) (anti-CTLA4 + anti-PD-1) or immunotherapy with TKIs showed striking results in the first-line setting with improvement in overall response rates, progression-free survival and overall survival versus sunitinib. This allowed the combinations to gain registration in the US and Europe in the first-line advanced or metastatic clear-cell renal cell carcinoma setting. However, this improved activity comes at the cost of increased toxicity. Immunotherapy-related toxicities usually occur earlier within the first six months. With immunotherapy came a new range of toxicities making it more necessary to work with networks of specialists to better address autoimmune toxicity in particular. The safety profile is also impacted by the type of TKI used. In most cases, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) favours combinations over the comparator sunitinib. This article aims to review and assess the safety and HRQoL data on these new combinations.

Summary Background: The standard treatment in first line of advanced or metastatic urothelial bladder cancer (MBC) is the association of Gemcitabine and Cisplatin (GC). Avelumab, an anti-PD-L1 agent, has recently demonstrated efficacy. The objective is to evaluate the combination of these 3 agents. Methods: This phase II randomized open-label study, evaluated if GC-avelumab increases response rate and duration of response of patients in 1st line treatment for MBC compared to GC. Severe toxicities should not overlap and be acceptable. The two co-primary end points are the objective response rate and the incidence of severe toxicity after six cycles of treatment. The study will recruit 90 participants, randomized in two arms (1:2), GC (gemcitabine 1 000 mg/m2/j, J1,J8, Cisplatine 70 mg/m2, J1 = J21), and GC-avelumab (10 mg/Kg/3 semaines). Randomization will be stratified on Karnofsky status (≥ 80 % vs. Discussion: If both efficacy and safety of the association of GC+avelumab are in the range of acceptable through this specific study design, this will support a subsequent randomized phase III study comparing both arms with an overall survival end-point. In addition, the evaluation of predictive parameters to be confirmed (e.g. the impact of tumor PD-L1 expression) or other immunological parameters, may support a selection of the population. NCT number : NCT03324282

Until 2014, no new therapeutic agent have been approved by authorities in more than 2 decades for bladder cancer. But the panel of treatments has expended in recent years with the emergence of at least 3 different therapeutic classes. First, the immune checkpoint inhibitors that have demonstrated an overall survival benefit in metastatic patients after failure of platinum based chemotherapy. They are therefore currently evaluated alone or in combination with chemotherapy in multiple studies at earlier stages (localized and meta-static). The second and third therapeutic classes are the targeted therapies (especially FGFR inhibitor) and the antibody-drug conjugates with promising results in early clinical trials. In this article, we review all the current and future studies conducted in urothelial carcinoma of the bladder.

Resume Le cancer de prostate est le premier cancer de l’homme et presente un tropisme osseux specifique. Cette dissemination osseuse fait de ce cancer un modele privilegie de developpement d’agents radiopharmaceutiques, le strontium ; le samarium et plus recemment le Radium-223, emetteur alpha. Ce dernier a fait l’objet d’une phase III, ALSYMPCA qui a confirme son benefice therapeutique, tant sur le plan antalgique, qu’en gain sur la survie globale. Approuve par la FDA et l’EMA, la prescription du radium reste limitee par l’absence de remboursement valide. Reste que de nombreux essais cliniques sont en cours (combinaison avec chimiotherapie, radiotherapie ou hormonotherapie) afin d’optimiser les sequences therapeutiques des cancers de prostate metastatiques osseux, et d’argumenter pour l’integration de cet agent dans l’arsenal therapeutique courant.

Resume Le cabozantinib est un inhibiteur de tyrosine kinase ciblant specifiquement trois recepteurs : VEGFR2, c-MET et RET. L’inhibition concomitante du VEGFR et de c-MET permet de contourner les resistances observees via la voie c-MET aux inhibiteurs de tyrosine kinase anti-VEGFR. Le cabozantinib a montre son efficacite dans les cancers medullaires de la thyroide localement avances ou metastatiques, progressifs et non resecables de l’adulte contre placebo avec une augmentation de la survie sans progression de 4 a 11,2 mois, benefice retrouve chez les patients deja traites par inhibiteur de tyrosine kinase et quel que soit le type de mutation RET permettant son autorisation de mise sur le marche (AMM). Le cabozantinib a egalement montre sa superiorite en 2 e ligne dans le cancer du rein a cellules claires metastatique contre everolimus avec une augmentation de la survie globale de 16,5 a 21,4 mois ( p = 0,00026). Le cabozantinib rejoint desormais l’arsenal therapeutique du cancer du rein avec delivrance en officine hospitaliere dans le cadre de l’AMM et de la thyroide par l’inclusion dans des essais therapeutiques en l’absence de remboursement actuel dans cette indication. Son profil de tolerance s’apparente a celui des anti-angiogeniques et justifie une prise en charge optimale et precoce des effets secondaires.

Since 2006, new treatments as targeted therapies (anti angiogenic and mTOR inhibitors) are prescribed in renal cell cancer. Toxicity of these treatments is well known by clinicians. Occurrence of these side effects has been associated with anti tumoral efficacy. High blood pressure, hypothyroidie and hand foot syndrome were reported to be predictive of anti tumoral response. Fatigue and hyponatremia are still largely discussed. Moreover, non infectious pneumonia, which frequently occurs with mTOR inhibitors, is associated with clinical benefit. The main objective of treatment of advanced kidney cancer, specially renal cell cancer, is obtaining clinical benefit (stabilization and response) with a chronic evolution of the disease. This prolong exposure to drugs, according to their toxicity profile, often contributes to dose reduction, moreover interruption of treatment, potentially associated with a loss of control of disease. Thus, the adverse effects, described hereby, may be considered as « positive events », predicting efficacy, and thus looked for… Moreover, the sequential approach, with new drugs, emphasizes the need of defining the optimal sequence. Thus, because of the lack of molecular biomarkers to date, this predictives secondary effects may help for selecting the therapeutic strategy.

Cabozantinib is an oral multiple tyrosine kinase receptor inhibitor (ITK): VEGFR2, c-MET and RET. Inhibition of VEGFR and c-MET decrease resistance of VEGFR inhibitor via c-MET axis. Cabozantinib improve progression-free survival (PFS) in progressive metastatic medullary thyroid cancer (MTC): 4 months in the placebo group and 11.2 months in the cabozantinib group (P0.001) in all patient subgroups including those with or without prior ITK and RET mutation status. Cabozantinib increased overall survival (OS) compared with everolimus in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma who progressed after previous VEGFR ITK treatment: 21.4 months in cabozantinib group and 16.5 months in everolimus group (P0.0003). Cabozantinib obtained the AMM for the treatment of progressive metastatic MTC and advanced renal cell carcinoma. Cabozantinib is a new option in the treatment of MTC by inclusion in therapeutic trials (no payment in this indication) and advanced renal cell carcinoma (hospital delivery). Its tolerance is similar to anti-angiogenic therapies and justifies an optimal management of the secondary effect.

If androgen deprivation, chemical with LH-RH analogs or surgical with bilateral orchiectomy, still remains the stone edge of treatment of prostate cancer, in the metastatic setting, this hormonosensitivity, most of the time long, finally move on in hormonal-failure. If rare changes in the therapeutic strategy have been achieved in this setting since 2004 and the arrival of docetaxel, it is the global perception of the disease that has been modified and the definition of one specific entity: the castrate-resistant prostate cancer. This new definition and the changes of design and end-points of clinical trials testing new agents with strong recruitment during the past years have conducted to a real revolution in the management of castrate-refractory prostate cancer. The place of secondary hormonal manipulations, such as withdrawal of the anti-androgen, oestrogen or ketoconazole, still exists for a selected group of patients. In case of aggressive disease and symptoms, chemotherapy should be selected, docetaxel, in a three weeks schedule, and may be combined with Estracyt. It is time to consider the revolution of the post-chemotherapy setting with the arrival of two new drugs ; a cytotoxic one, the cabazitaxel and hormonal for the second one, the abiraterone acetate. The place of the immunotherapy with the sipuleucel-T may be more difficult to precise, especially in Europe, even if it has been finally indicated in the United States in the metastatic setting. Concerning bone metastasis, zoledronic acid was during a long time the only bone-targeted agent, effective in reducing the incidence of skeletal related events, and was recently exceeded by the denosumab, an anti-RANK ligand. Finally, let us hope that other changes will be achieved in the near future, with the cabazitaxel-docetaxel confrontation in the first-line setting, and the introduction of the abiraterone acetate before chemotherapy with docetaxel, already tested in ongoing trials.

Cisplatin-based chemotherapy (MVAC : cisplatin, methotrexate, adriamycin, vinblastine ; or GC : cisplatin, gemcitabine) has been the standard of care for patients with advanced urothelial tumor during the last twenty years. Greater knowledge in the molecular biology of bladder cancer lead to the identification of promising target such as EGFR, HER2, or VEGF-VEGFR pathways. The role of targeted therapies as monotherapy, in combination with chemotheray or as maintenance post-chemotherapy is currently under study.

mTOR signaling pathway (mammalian target of rapamycin) is a major pathway in cell physiology and malignant behavior implicated in cell growth, cell proliferation, cell metabolism, protein synthesis and angiogenesis. Temsirolimus has shown in a randomized phase III trial for patients with poor risk feature of metastatic renal cell carcinoma, a significant gain in overall survival compared to this obtained with alpha interferon (7.3 a 10.9 months; HR: 0.73; P < 0.0069). Everolimus has shown in a randomized phase III trial for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma having failed under VEGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor a significant gain in progression-free survival compared to this obtained with placebo VEGFR (1,8 a 4,6 months; HR: 0.33; P < 0.001). Temsirolimus and everolimus are now part of the reference treatments in renal cell carcinoma. This paper is a review of these two drugs in this setting.

Despite that greater knowledge of prostate cancer biology has led to the isolation of many new and promising targets, treatment of metastatic prostate cancer is still challenging. New agents targeting these molecules are currently under development in large randomized phase III trials, to improve overall survival and the quality of life of patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostatic cancer (CRPC). Cytotoxic chemotherapy (docetaxel-based chemotherapy) demonstrated clinical benefit on overall survival, but could be improved. Drugs targeting directly or not the androgen receptor such as abiraterone or new specific peripheral anti-androgens (MDV3100) are very promising. Bone targeted therapies (endothelin1 receptor A inhibitor, RANK ligant, metabolic irradiation) are also very promising and are in development in large phase III trials. Antiangiogenic therapies could also be effective in CRPC. Autologous vaccin against prostatic acid phosphatase seems to prolong overall survival and other vaccin and immunotherapy strategies are in development (anti-CTLA4 antibody). A recent analogue of thalidomide, probably more efficient, lenalidomide is also in development.

Since 2006, new treatments as targeted therapies (anti angiogenic and mTOR inhibitors) are prescribed in renal cell cancer. Toxicity of these treatments is well known by clinicians. Occurrence of these side effects has been associated with anti tumoral efficacy. High blood pressure, hypothyroïdie and hand foot syndrome were reported to be predictive of anti tumoral response. Fatigue and hyponatremia are still largely discussed. Moreover, non infectious pneumonia, which frequently occurs with mTOR inhibitors, is associated with clinical benefit. The main objective of treatment of advanced kidney cancer, specially renal cell cancer, is obtaining clinical benefit (stabilization and response) with a chronic evolution of the disease. This prolong exposure to drugs, according to their toxicity profile, often contributes to dose reduction, moreover interruption of treatment, potentially associated with a loss of control of disease. Thus, the adverse effects, described hereby, may be considered as « positive events », predicting efficacy, and thus looked for… Moreover, the sequential approach, with new drugs, emphasizes the need of defining the optimal sequence. Thus, because of the lack of molecular biomarkers to date, this predictives secondary effects may help for selecting the therapeutic strategy.

If androgen deprivation, chemical with LH-RH analogs or surgical with bilateral orchiectomy, still remains the stone edge of treatment of prostate cancer, in the metastatic setting, this hormonosensitivity, most of the time long, finally move on in hormonal-failure. If rare changes in the therapeutic strategy have been achieved in this setting since 2004 and the arrival of docetaxel, it is the global perception of the disease that has been modified and the definition of one specific entity: the castrate-resistant prostate cancer. This new definition and the changes of design and end-points of clinical trials testing new agents with strong recruitment during the past years have conducted to a real revolution in the management of castrate-refractory prostate cancer. The place of secondary hormonal manipulations, such as withdrawal of the anti-androgen, oestrogen or ketoconazole, still exists for a selected group of patients. In case of aggressive disease and symptoms, chemotherapy should be selected, docetaxel, in a three weeks schedule, and may be combined with Estracyt. It is time to consider the revolution of the post-chemotherapy setting with the arrival of two new drugs ; a cytotoxic one, the cabazitaxel and hormonal for the second one, the abiraterone acetate. The place of the immunotherapy with the sipuleucel-T may be more difficult to precise, especially in Europe, even if it has been finally indicated in the United States in the metastatic setting. Concerning bone metastasis, zoledronic acid was during a long time the only bone-targeted agent, effective in reducing the incidence of skeletal related events, and was recently exceeded by the denosumab, an anti-RANK ligand. Finally, let us hope that other changes will be achieved in the near future, with the cabazitaxel-docetaxel confrontation in the first-line setting, and the introduction of the abiraterone acetate before chemotherapy with docetaxel, already tested in ongoing trials.

Cisplatin-based chemotherapy (MVAC : cisplatin, methotrexate, adriamycin, vinblastine ; or GC : cisplatin, gemcitabine) has been the standard of care for patients with advanced urothelial tumor during the last twenty years. Greater knowledge in the molecular biology of bladder cancer lead to the identification of promising target such as EGFR, HER2, or VEGF-VEGFR pathways. The role of targeted therapies as monotherapy, in combination with chemotheray or as maintenance post-chemotherapy is currently under study.

The treatment of metastatic kidney cancer has dramatically changed in the last three years, with demonstration of efficacy of sunitinib, sorafenib, temsirolimus, bevacizumab combined with interferon and more recently everolimus. Although the international guidelines have recently been reviewed, some major questions are still open. Particularly, the best order of administration of these targeted therapies should be considered, since sequential schedule becomes usual with the availability of these new agents. At the same time, the tolerability and efficacy of the combination of the targeted therapies are under investigation in clinical trials. We report recent studies, mainly presented during the ASCO 2007 and 2008 congress. Furthermore, other studies are ongoing to answer other important questions, to optimize the treatment of this disease, such as the role of nephrectomy in case of synchronous metastatic disease, or the efficacy of the targeted therapies in different histological subtype than clear cell carcinoma, or in neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings.

mTOR signaling pathway (mammalian target of rapamycin) is a major pathway in cell physiology and malignant behavior implicated in cell growth, cell proliferation, cell metabolism, protein synthesis and angiogenesis. Temsirolimus has shown in a randomized phase III trial for patients with poor risk feature of metastatic renal cell carcinoma, a significant gain in overall survival compared to this obtained with alpha interferon (7.3 à 10.9 months; HR: 0.73; P0.0069). Everolimus has shown in a randomized phase III trial for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma having failed under VEGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor a significant gain in progression-free survival compared to this obtained with placebo VEGFR (1,8 à 4,6 months; HR: 0.33; P0.001). Temsirolimus and everolimus are now part of the reference treatments in renal cell carcinoma. This paper is a review of these two drugs in this setting.

Advanced renal cell carcinoma is associated with a poor prognosis and is refractory to standard chemotherapy. Recent progress in the understanding of molecular biology and pathogenesis of renal cell cancer has been translated into the development of new therapeutic strategies. The management of metastatic RCC has been revolutionized with the development of targeted molecular therapies against VEGF-VEGFR and mTOR. Randomized phase III clinical trials demonstrated clinical benefit for patients with advanced RCC in overall survival and progression free survival. At the moment, six molecules have been approves in advanced RCC: cytokines (IL-2 and IFN), antiangiogenic therapies (sunitinib, sorafenib, bevacizumab) and mTOR inhibitors (Temsirolimus, everolimus). Nephrectomy is an important component of the multimodality treatment of mRCC. Prospective trials will be assessed the value of nephrectomy in patients treated by antiangiogenic therapies. Large randomized trial are ongoing to evaluate these new therapies in adjuvant setting.

Despite that greater knowledge of prostate cancer biology has led to the isolation of many new and promising targets, treatment of metastatic prostate cancer is still challenging. New agents targeting these molecules are currently under development in large randomized phase III trials, to improve overall survival and the quality of life of patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostatic cancer (CRPC). Cytotoxic chemotherapy (docetaxel-based chemotherapy) demonstrated clinical benefit on overall survival, but could be improved. Drugs targeting directly or not the androgen receptor such as abiraterone or new specific peripheral anti-androgens (MDV3100) are very promising. Bone targeted therapies (endothelin1 receptor A inhibitor, RANK ligant, metabolic irradiation) are also very promising and are in development in large phase III trials. Antiangiogenic therapies could also be effective in CRPC. Autologous vaccin against prostatic acid phosphatase seems to prolong overall survival and other vaccin and immunotherapy strategies are in development (anti-CTLA4 antibody). A recent analogue of thalidomide, probably more efficient, lenalidomide is also in development.

The malignant pleural mesothelioma is a rare tumor of the general population. The exposure of asbestos still remains the main factor of risk, found in 72 to 95 % of the patients. The diagnosis is difficult. The symptoms are poor, with most often chronic pleural effusion, with dyspnea, associated with localized chest pain. The histological diagnosis is made on thoracoscopic biopsy. Analysis of the histochemical profile (PAS-D, hyaluronidase, vimentine), the use of immunochemistry (CEA, keratines), and electron microscopy can facilitate the making of the diagnosis. There is 3 different entities of malignant mesothelioma: the epithelial type, mixed, and sarcomatous. The tagging is based on thoracic scanner, to determinate the extent of the tumor, her relation with the local structures, and the possible involvement of the mediastinal lymph nodes. There is several staging systems, the Butchart's staging classification, and most recently the IMIG (International Mesothelioma Interest Group) classification. The significant prognostic factors, in multivariate analysis are: the stage of the disease, the histologic type, and the performance status of the patient. The current therapeutic maneuvers (surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy) did not show significant improvement of the survival. The radical surgery, like pleuropneumonectomy, should be consider only for patients with an early stage of the disease. The chemotherapy, with single agent or in combination, still remains disappointing, with objective response rates between 20 and 30 %, in best cases. The curative radiotherapy is limited by the importance of the target-volume, and the proximity of critical organ (lung, heart). Only the preventive radiotherapy, on scars, niddle or surgical tracts is recommended. Immunotherapy, by systemic or intracavitary administration, remains limited because of the toxicity, especially infection. All of the therapeutic maneuvers should be proposed in clinical trials.

Fourty-six patients (41 evaluable) were treated in second line chemotherapy of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) by an association of mitomycin (M), vinorelbine (V) (M 8 mg/m2 D1, V 25 mg/m2 D1 and DI 8 every 4 weeks). Median age was 58 years (36-78), median performance status 1 (0-3). Thirty-seven per cent of the tumors were estrogen receptors positive and 17% progesterone receptors positive.eventeen patients received an adjuvant chemotherapy and 39 a first line chemotherapy with anthracyclin (A). The median number of metastatic sites was 2 (1-4) and 27 patients (67%) had visceral metastases. Twelve patients were refractory to anthracyclins and 5 resistant. No toxic death nor hemolytic uremic syndrom were observed.even (3,7%) febrile neutropenias happened responsible for 4 hospitalizations. A grade 3 or 4 neutropenia was noted in 34% of the cycles but no other clinic toxicity nor grade 3 or 4 thrombopenia. The rate of objective response (OR) was 37,5% with 2 complete responses (CR) and 13 partial responses (PR).even patients had stable disease and 18 progressed. The rate of hepatic OR was 31%. Five (40%) A-refractory patients responded but no resistant patient. Median OR time was 10 weeks (8-12) and median OR duration was 5 months (3-6). Median survival was 11,5 months. MV association is well tolerated and effective in second line chemotherapy for MBC even with hepatic metastasis and in patients refractory to anthracyclins.

Fourty-six patients (41 evaluable) were treated in second line chemotherapy of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) by an association of mitomycin (M), vinorelbine (V) (M 8 mg/m2 D1, V 25 mg/m2 D1 and DI 8 every 4 weeks). Median age was 58 years (36-78), median performance status 1 (0-3). Thirty-seven per cent of the tumors were estrogen receptors positive and 17% progesterone receptors positive. Seventeen patients received an adjuvant chemotherapy and 39 a first line chemotherapy with anthracycline (A). The median number of metastatic sites was 2 (1-4) and 27 patients (67%) had visceral metastases. Twelve patients were refractory to anthracyclines and 5 resistant. No toxic death nor hemolytic uremic syndrome were observed. Seven (3.7%) febrile neutropenias happened responsible for 4 hospitalizations. A grade 3 or 4 neutropenia was noted in 34% of the cycles but no other clinic toxicity nor grade 3 or 4 thrombopenia. The rate of objective response (OR) was 37.5% with 2 complete responses (CR) and 13 partial responses (PR). Seven patients had stable disease and 18 progressed. The rate of hepatic OR was 31%. Five (40%) A-refractory patients responded but no resistant patient. Median OR time was 10 weeks (8-12) and median OR duration was 5 months (3-6). Median survival was 11.5 months. MV association is well tolerated and effective in second line chemotherapy for MBC even with hepatic metastasis and in patients refractory to anthracyclines.

Present chemotherapy, with cisplatin combinations, currently offers the possibility of seeking adjuvant therapy in locally advanced and bulky carcinomas of the cervix, which have an unfavorable prognosis (nodal involvement). This initial adjuvant chemotherapy may improve the results of classical pelvic irradiation. From 1982 to 1987, a randomized phase III trial was performed in order to determine the long term effect of induction chemotherapy before irradiation in stage IIb-N1, III, M0 squamous cell carcinomas of the cervix. Radiotherapy (R) for all patients consisted in 50 Gy in the pelvis with a boost by external irradiation of the brachytherapy (cumulative dose of 68 Gy). The chemotherapy regimen (C + R group) was an association of methotrexate, chlorambucil, vincristine and cisplatin, given every 3 weeks, at least two courses were to be given before assessing efficacy and two more courses were given to patients who responded. After a follow up of 5-10 years, 76 patients were fully evaluable in the R arm and 75 in the C + R arm. The response rate (50%) to chemotherapy was 42.5% and after completion of treatment, remission rate was 93% in the R arm and 96% in the C + R arm. The disease-free survival was 40% in the C + R group and 35% in the R group, and the median survival was 42 and 45 months respectively (NS). The survival of patients with a complete response at the end of radiotherapy was significantly better in the C + R group when they are responding to chemotherapy, than in R group (P0.05). Radiotherapy was not modified whether patients had an initial chemotherapy or not; tolerance was not significantly different between the two groups. Efficacy of induction chemotherapy is an available test for long term results. This approach has the potential for improving the outlook in patients with high-risk primary cancer: earlier use and higher dose intensity of chemotherapy may be associated with a better cytoreduction, and probably a better survival. Further controlled investigations are warranted to confirm the value of adjuvant chemotherapy in cervical cancer.

Thirty female patients with ovarian cancer of poor prognosis were included in a chemotherapy trial using high dose IV carboplatin--800 mg/m2 every 5 weeks. The subjects had three to six cycles prior to second laparotomy. Twenty-eight patients were assessable. There was no neurological, auditory or renal toxicity. Limiting toxicity was haematological, the mean neutrophil count was less than 650 mm3 and the mean platelet count less than 30,000/mm3. No death occurred from toxicity. The clinical response rate was 67%, and the surgical response rate 53.5%, with 15% complete histological responses. Survival at 18 months is 36%. A trial concerning 36 patients treated with an association of carboplatin at the same dose combined with cyclophosphamide has just been completed and the results are being analyzed.