Comparative study of different chemotherapy approaches for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer

Abstract

To probe into the advantages and disadvantages of intravenous chemotherapy and intraperitoneal chemotherapy for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. All of the 226 patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer were treated by maximum cytoreductive surgery or non-effective cytoreductive surgery and received 6 - 8 courses of postoperative regular chemotherapy (chemotherapy regimens, TP: taxol and cis-platinum or carboplatinum; PC: cis-platinum and cyclophosphamide; PAC: cis-platinum and adriamycin and cyclophosphamide) during Jan 1998 - Jan 2006. We systematically compared the characteristics of patients in intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IPC) group and intravenous chemotherapy (IVC) group. We measured the incidence rate of the response, side-effects, the recurrence time of intraperitoneal tumor and survival time of the two groups respectively. For the first phase after operation (three courses of treatment), the response rate of two groups were 75.8% and 52.8% respectively. For the response rate of IPC was higher than that of IVC (P < 0.01). The second phase after operation (all courses finished), the response rate of two groups were 93.9% and 87.7%, respectively (P > 0.05). After maximum cytoreductive surgery, the recurrence rate of IPC and IVC were 47.0% and 59.4%, respectively (P > 0.05). After non-effective cytoreductive surgery of IPC and IVC groups, the recurrence rates were 84.8% and 86.2%, respectively (P > 0.05). The recurrence time of intraperitoneal tumor of IPC and IVC groups were 24 and 18 months, respectively (P = 0.001). The overall survival time of groups IPC and IVC were 32 and 30 months (P = 0.188). There were some differences in the side-effect between IPC and IVC. The rates of chemotherapeutic phlebitis of IPC and IVC were 34.0% and 10.8% respectively (P < 0.01). The rates of serious gastrointestinal reaction of IPC and IVC were 33.8% and 25.8%, respectively (P = 0.236). There was no significant difference in bone marrow depression, intestinal adhesion and intestinal obstruction. IPC can extend the disease progression free survival than IVC, without increasing overall survival period. IPC can also reduce the side-effect of chemotherapeutic phlebitis. However, IPC is used limitedly, and can not substitute for IVC. Combination of IPC with IVC may enhance their effectiveness and reduce the side-effects.