Oral MPA is active against endometrial carcinoma. Response to progestin therapy is more frequent among patients with a well-differentiated histology and positive progesterone receptor status. This study provides no evidence to support the use of MPA 1,000 mg/d orally instead of MPA 200 mg/d orally. In fact, the trends suggest the opposite. The use of oral MPA 200 mg/d is a reasonable initial approach to the treatment of advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma, particularly those lesions that are well-differentiated and/or progesterone receptor-positive (> 50 fmol/mg cytosol protein). Patients with poorly differentiated and/or progesterone receptor levels less than 50 fmol/mg cytosol protein had only an 8% to 9% response rate.

A total of 394 patients with advanced, measurable squamous carcinoma of the uterine cervix and no prior chemotherapy were randomized to therapy with either carboplatin or iproplatin. There were 23 patients ineligible for the study and 10 patients who were not evaluable; the remaining 361 patients were evaluable for response and adverse effects. Randomization was well balanced for age, performance status, and prior therapy. Both platinum analogs were given every 28 days with starting doses of 400 mg/m2 for carboplatin (340 mg/m2 if the patient underwent prior radiation) and 270 mg/m2 for iproplatin (230 mg/m2 if the patient underwent prior radiation). These doses are equivalent to cisplatin doses of 75 to 100 mg/m2. Hematologic toxicity was dose-limiting, among which thrombocytopenia was slightly more common than leukopenia. Gastrointestinal toxicity was also prominent with both agents; however, iproplatin was significantly more toxic than carboplatin (P less than .001). Renal, otic, and peripheral nervous system toxicities were absent or infrequent with both analogs. No electrolyte abnormalities were observed. The percentage of planned dosages that were actually administered was 100% of carboplatin doses and 85% of iproplatin doses (P less than .0001). The reduction in iproplatin dose was apparently due to gastrointestinal toxicity. Response rates were similar for both agents (15% for carboplatin, 11% for iproplatin) and appear to be inferior to those noted with the parent compound, cisplatin.

Stage I ovarian serous LMP tumors rarely, if ever, recur. Limited resection, after meticulous surgical exploration, is adequate therapy for women of reproductive age.

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