Restoring platinum sensitivity in recurrent ovarian cancer by extending the platinum-free interval: Myth or reality?

The platinum-free interval is the most important predictive factor of a response to subsequent lines of chemotherapy and the most important prognostic factor for progression-free and overall survival in patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer. A nonplatinum regimen is generally considered the most appropriate approach when the disease recurs very early after the end of chemotherapy, whereas platinum-based chemotherapy is usually adopted when the platinum-free interval exceeds 12 months. However, the therapeutic management of patients with intermediate sensitivity (ie, when the relapse occurs between 6 and 12 months) remains debatable. Preclinical and clinical data suggest that the extension of platinum-free interval (using a nonplatinum-based regimen) might restore platinum sensitivity, thus allowing survival improvement. The objective of this review was to critically analyze preclinical and clinical evidences supporting this hypothesis. Cancer 2017;123:3450-9.