Medical Health Encyclopedia

If the interval is short, or if these drugs fail to control the tumor, then other second-line drugs may be useful in achieving a response. They include topotecan, liposomal doxorubicin, etoposide, docetaxel, gemcitabine, or tamoxifen. There is no evidence as yet that second-line drug combinations are any more effective than single agents, although they are generally more toxic.

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Clinical trials using various investigative approaches are under way. It is not clear if there is a role of a second debulking surgical procedure. A 2004 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that additional debulking did not prevent cancer progression or prolong survival.