Stage III Ovarian Cancer in a BRCA1 Carrier With Long-Term Disease Control

What happened, in summary

A 67-year-old woman underwent optimal debulking surgery for Stage III high-grade serous ovarian cancer. Genetic testing later showed a BRCA1 mutation. She received 4 doses of carboplatin and paclitaxel, followed by a planned intraperitoneal cisplatin consolidation. That consolidation was stopped after the first dose when she developed severe diarrhea from C. difficile infection, low blood pressure, and a myocardial infarction.

About 3 years later, the ovarian cancer recurred in the retroperitoneum. She received 4 cycles of carboplatin with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin and then continued pegylated liposomal doxorubicin as maintenance therapy.

During this prolonged treatment period, she developed a separate squamous cell carcinoma on the tongue. It was removed surgically and remained without documented recurrence. Her ovarian cancer also remained controlled: at the latest follow-up in January 2012, she had no recurrence of ovarian cancer and was described as well. The case shows long-term ovarian cancer control despite recurrence and serious treatment-related medical complications.