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NCCN Announces Important Updates to Ovarian Cancer Clinical Practice Guidelines

JENKINTOWN, Pa., March 6, 2006 — The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) announces updates to the NCCN Ovarian Cancer Guidelines. The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology™ are widely recognized and applied as the standard for clinical policy in oncology in both the community practice setting and in academic cancer centers. These guidelines are used extensively by managed care companies and by Medicare as the basis for coverage policies. These guidelines are updated continually and are based upon evaluation of scientific data integrated with expert judgment.

The NCCN Ovarian Cancer Guidelines have new recommendations for primary and adjuvant chemotherapy after surgical staging of Stage II Ovarian Cancer. Primary chemotherapy for this stage was previously grouped with Stage IC but is now included with the recommendations for Stage III and IV ovarian cancer.

Also, specific regimens were added for patients who have recurrence after complete remission and their relapse is greater than 6 months after chemotherapy. The regimens include gemcitabine (Gemzar, Lilly)/carboplatin (Paraplatin, Bristol Myers-Squibb) and carboplatin/paclitaxel (Taxol, Bristol Myers-Squibb). The Ovarian Cancer Guidelines panel broadened the listing of acceptable recurrence modalities for ovarian cancer to include anastrazole (Arimidex, AstraZeneca), bevacizumab (Avastin, Genentech), irinotecan (Camptosar, Pfizer), ifosfamide (Ifex, Bristol Myers-Squibb) and letrozole (Femara, Novartis). For mixed mullerian tumors, chemotherapy and radiation therapy were added as additional treatment options for Stage I disease.

“NCCN Guidelines highlight the cutting-edge developments in treatment and are an essential tool for physicians, allied health professionals, patients and public and private payors,” said William T. McGivney, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of the NCCN.

For a detailed listing of all updates to the NCCN Guidelines, please go to www.nccn.org.