Use Of Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy Research Articles

The use of intraperitoneal chemotherapy for advanced ovarian cancer - The experience of a tertiary referral centre.

Platinum-based chemotherapy is the backbone of the medical management of ovarian cancer. The dose, route and timing of treatment are ongoing areas of debate. Intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy is an alternative delivery method treatment to the conventional intravenous (IV) route for patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, with efficacy supported by Level 1 evidence. To compare the outcomes and feasibility of IP to IV delivery of platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. In a single institution, patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy (IP and IV) for Stages III and IV epithelial ovarian cancer over the period January 2006-December 2018 were identified through a prospectively maintained database. All patients with an IP port inserted were included. A control group of patients treated with IV chemotherapy was created using criteria identified during the study and in the randomised trials that tested IP chemotherapy. Assessments were made for relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) for each cohort. A total of 639 patients received adjuvant chemotherapy (73 IP and 566 IV) during the study period. Both the IP group and matched IV control group (65 patients) had a median RFS of 26 months. The median OS in the IP group was 63.9 months, and in the IV group was 57.2 months. At ten years, a significantly higher proportion of patients were alive in the IP group cohort (16% vs 3%, relative risk 5.5, 95% CI 1.29-24, P = 0.012). IP chemotherapy was well tolerated by our cohort. In the IP group, 73% had four or more IP cycles and 99% received six or more cycles of chemotherapy. Our cohort had a high rate of completion of IP chemotherapy with excellent rates of completion of six cycles of any treatment. The RFS and OS in the IP chemotherapy group were comparable to each other and reflected those in the published literature. A significantly higher proportion of patients in the IP cohort were alive at ten years than in the IV cohort.

A Preliminary Study of Immediate Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Stage III Colorectal Cancer.

Investigate the survival of patients with stage III colorectal cancer (CRC) treated with immediate postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy. The clinical data of 195 patients with stage III CRC admitted to The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from June 2017 to June 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into an observation group and a control group, both groups were treated with the routine laparoscopic radical operation, on the basis of which, the patients in the observation group were treated with intraperitoneal perfusion chemotherapy during the operation. The local recurrence, abdominal cavity metastasis, and liver metastasis were followed up, and the time of disease recurrence and total survival were recorded. The survival analysis showed that there was a significant difference in progression-free survival (χ2 = 5.416, P = 0.020) and overall survival (χ2 = 4.673, P = 0.031) between the observation group and the control group. During laparoscopic radical resection of CRC, the use of intraperitoneal chemotherapy with raltitrexed can achieve satisfactory results and improve the survival rate of patients with stage III CRC, perioperative use of raltitrexed has been shown to be beneficial in terms of overall survival and progression-free survival.

Efficacy and toxicity of intraperitoneal chemotherapy as compared to intravenous chemotherapy in the treatment of patients with advanced ovarian cancer

To assess the efficacy and toxicity of intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy compared to intravenous (IV) chemotherapy. Toxicity profiles, recurrence patterns, and long-term survival outcomes of 271 women with Stage IIIC or IV high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) treated with primary cytoreductive surgery followed by adjuvant IP or IV chemotherapy during 2001-2015 were reviewed. Women who received IP chemotherapy (n=91) were more likely to have undergone aggressive and longer surgery with no residual disease compared to the IV arm (n=180). Chemotherapy-related toxicities were comparable between the two groups. Extraperitoneal recurrences were more common in the IP arm compared to the IV arm. Five-year progression-free survival was 19% versus 18% (P=0.63) and overall survival was 73% versus 44% (P<0.01) in the IP versus IV arms, respectively. After adjustment for significant clinicopathologic factors in a multivariable model, use of IP was no longer a statistically significant predictor of overall survival. IP chemotherapy in advanced HGSC has not been widely adopted due to concerns about toxicity and inconvenience. Use of IP chemotherapy was associated with comparable safety profile and efficacy to IV chemotherapy in women with Stage IIIC/IV HGSC. Recurrences were more likely to be extraperitoneal with IP treatment.

Current practice and perceptions of safety protocols for the use of intraperitoneal chemotherapy in the operating room: results of the IP-OR international survey.

ObjectivesTo assess the risk perception and the uptake of measures preventing environment-related risks in the operating room (OR) during hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) and pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC).MethodsA multicentric, international survey among OR teams in high-volume HIPEC and PIPAC centers: Surgeons (Surg), Scrub nurses (ScrubN), Anesthesiologists (Anest), Anesthesiology nurses (AnesthN), and OR Cleaning staff (CleanS). Scores extended from 0–10 (maximum).ResultsTen centers in six countries participated in the study (response rate 100%). Two hundred and eleven responses from 68 Surg (32%), 49 ScrubN (23%), 45 Anest (21%), 31 AnesthN (15%), and 18 CleanS (9%) were gathered. Individual uptake of protection measures was 51.4%, similar among professions and between HIPEC and PIPAC. Perceived levels of protection were 7.57 vs. 7.17 for PIPAC and HIPEC, respectively (p<0.05), with Anesth scoring the lowest (6.81). Perceived contamination risk was 4.19 for HIPEC vs. 3.5 for PIPAC (p<0.01). Information level was lower for CleanS and Anesth for HIPEC and PIPAC procedures compared to all other responders (6.48 vs. 4.86, and 6.48 vs. 5.67, p<0.01). Willingness to obtain more information was 86%, the highest among CleanS (94%).ConclusionsExperience with the current practice of safety protocols was similar during HIPEC and PIPAC. The individual uptake of protection measures was rather low. The safety perception was better for PIPAC, but the perceived level of protection remained relatively low. The willingness to obtain more information was high. Intensified, standardized training of all OR team members involved in HIPEC and PIPAC is meaningful.

Survival and recurrence after intraperitoneal chemotherapy use: Retrospective review of ovarian cancer hospital registry data.

BackgroundIntraperitoneal/intravenous chemotherapy (IP/IV) was associated with improved survival for ovarian cancer (OC) patients in several randomized clinical trials. However, the uptake of IP/IV in clinical practice is varied due to conflicting evidence about its impact on survival and recurrence. The aim of this study was to explore the uptake of IP/IV treatment and to evaluate its impact on survival and recurrence in OC patients.MethodsDemographic and clinical information on OC patients (N = 2916) who underwent treatment for OC between 2000 and 2017 was obtained from the large healthcare system cancer registry. Duplicate records, grade 1, rare (eg, gelatinous carcinoma), and non‐epithelial (eg, granulosa cell carcinoma) tumors were excluded. Kaplan‐Meier survival curves were constructed to compare 5‐ and 10‐year survival based on the chemotherapy type, surgery type, and stage. Multivariable Gray's piecewise constant time‐varying coefficient models were fitted to evaluate the effect of IP/IV on adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) of OC survival and recurrence adjusting for potential confounders.ResultsThe final sample consisted of 1846 OC patients, 14% (250/1846) of which received IP/IV chemotherapy. IP/IV was significantly associated with improved 10‐year survival (P < .001). Multivariable Gray's model demonstrated that IP/IV therapy significantly reduced the AHR of death (AHR = 0.39‐1.07, P < .001) with the beneficial effect gradually declining over time. Use of IP/IV chemotherapy had no impact on OC recurrence.ConclusionsThese findings demonstrated that only a small fraction of eligible patients underwent IP/IV chemotherapy. We report a significant 10‐year survival, but not necessarily recurrence benefit is associated with IP/IV chemotherapy compared to IV only, suggesting the need for novel ways of identifying patients who may benefit from IP/IV chemotherapy.

Non-medical caregivers and the use of intraperitoneal chemotherapy in the operating theatre: A survey on the perception of safety.

In the last two decades, intraperitoneal(IP) chemotherapy during surgery achieved recognition in the management of peritoneal metastases. Occupational hazard became a concern leading to standardized safety measures. The aim of this study is to evaluate the perceived level of information and protection among the non-medical caregivers involved in HIPEC and PIPAC in a high-volume center. All non-medical caregivers in the operating theatre of our institution were asked to answer a questionnaire between April and May 2018. The questionnaire included multiple choice questions and open questions structured in four parts: demographic variables, perceived level of information, perceived level of protection, interest in further education. Forty-nine caregivers agreed to answer the questionnaire. All identified IP chemotherapy as an occupational risk. Thirty-eight persons (77.55%) trusted the protective value of safety measures during HIPEC compared to 32 (65.3%) during PIPAC. A total of 29 persons (59.18%) used some of the measures while 16 (32.65%) used all of them. Main reasons of non-use were slips and lapses (7 persons) and lack of comfort (4 persons). A total of 34 caregivers considered the level of information about safety protocols as good or very good (69%). A total of 46 persons considered the level of protection as satisfying or excellent (93.87%). A total of 36 (73.47%) interviewees expressed the need of receiving more information. The present study shows that non-medical caregivers in the operating theatres are aware of the occupational hazards related to the use of IP chemotherapy. The use of protective measures is associated with decreased level of perceived risk. However there is a high need of continuous education on this subject for the involved personnel.

Abstract DP-010: INTRAPERITONEAL CHEMOTHERAPY USE AND OUTCOMES: EXPLORATION OF UPMC OVARIAN CANCER REGISTRY DATA

Abstract BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer (OC) is the deadliest gynecologic cancer. Despite randomized clinical trials showing improved survival for patients receiving intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IP), IP has not received a wide use outside of specialty hospitals. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of IP on OC patient survival and to evaluate whether treatment facility type impacted the outcomes. METHODS: Detailed demographic and clinical information on OC patients (N=2924) who underwent treatment in UPMC facilities between 2000-2016 was obtained from the UPMC Cancer Registry. Duplicate records, rare, grade 1, and non-epithelial tumors were excluded. Kaplan-Meier plots were constructed to compare 10-year survival rates based on the chemotherapy type (IP vs. no-IP), cancer grade, cancer stage, surgery type, neoadjuvant and treatment facility (specialized vs. community). Multivariable Gray's models and logistic regression model were fitted to evaluate the effect of different factors on survival and tumor recurrence respectively. Two tailed P-values &amp;lt;0.05 were considered significant. R software package was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The final sample consisted from 1840 patients (250 IP and 1590 no-IP). IP chemotherapy was used only in 14% of OC patients and was associated with improved long-term survival. Similarly, cases reported by specialty treatment facilities (Magee and Passavant) had better survival compared to other hospitals. Multivariable Gray's model showed that IP and younger age were significantly associated with lower hazard of death, whereas higher cancer stage is significantly associated with higher hazard of death. Multivariable logistic regression showed that IP is not significantly associated with recurrence after adjusting for median income in the zip code of patient residence and cancer stage. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate enhanced long-term survival of patients treated with IP therapy at specialty centers. Increasing IP therapy use in clinical practice for OC patient treatment may be important strategy to improve OC outcomes. Citation Format: Adambekov S, Wang S, Taylor S, Buckanovich R, Coffman L, Edwards RP, Linkov F. INTRAPERITONEAL CHEMOTHERAPY USE AND OUTCOMES: EXPLORATION OF UPMC OVARIAN CANCER REGISTRY DATA [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 12th Biennial Ovarian Cancer Research Symposium; Sep 13-15, 2018; Seattle, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2019;25(22 Suppl):Abstract nr DP-010.

Evaluation of the efficacy and toxicity profile associated with intraperitoneal chemotherapy use in older women

ObjectiveIntraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy (CT) for treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) has been shown to provide a substantial OS advantage. This study aims to compare the toxicity and benefits of IP CT in patients ≥70 with those <70. MethodsWe performed a single institution retrospective review of patients diagnosed with Stage IIA-IIIC EOC from 2000 to 2013 who received IP CT. Clinicopathologic characteristics were extracted, and survival was calculated. Results133 patients were included with 100 pts. <70years old and 33 pts. ≥70years old. Clinical trial enrollment was similar despite age. In trial enrolled patients, older patients received statistically fewer cycles of therapy (6.4 vs 5.8, p=0.002) but had similar dose delays (0.9 vs 0.7, p=0.72), and modifications (0.9 vs 0.36, p=0.11). Median PFS (27 vs 31months) and OS (71 and 62months) were not statistically different. Grade 3/4 neutropenia was significantly worse in the older patients (82% vs 100%, p=0.04). Neuropathy grade ≥2 and other non-hematologic toxicities were not different between age groups. ConclusionsDespite completing fewer cycles of IP CT, older EOC patients had comparable survival to younger patients. The population of older patients receiving IP CT in this study were on clinical trial and likely to be heartier than the general older population. IP CT appears well tolerated and effective among select older patients and is likely under-utilized outside of clinical trials.

Cited rationale for variance in the use of primary intraperitoneal chemotherapy following optimal cytoreduction for stage III ovarian carcinoma at a high intraperitoneal chemotherapy utilization center

ObjectiveStudies have demonstrated improved ovarian cancer survival with the administration of a combination of intravenous (IV) and intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy following optimal cytoreduction. Despite this, IV/IP chemotherapy is not uniformly used. In this retrospective cohort study, we assessed the documented reasons for giving IV-only chemotherapy. MethodsAll patients who had optimal primary cytoreductive surgery for stage III ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal carcinoma, met eligibility criteria for GOG-172, and received primary chemotherapy at our institution between 2006 and 2013 were identified. Patients who received at least one cycle of adjuvant IV/IP therapy were included in the IP group. Patient characteristics, treatment information, and reason cited for not administering IP therapy were collected. ResultsOf the patients evaluated, 330 met inclusion criteria. The majority (n=261, 79%) received at least one IV/IP cycle (median, 6; range, 1–6), and 62% completed 6cycles. The most common reason for giving IV-only therapy was postoperative status (i.e., delayed wound healing, performance status), accounting for 18 (26%) of the 69 IV-only patients (5% of the entire cohort). Other cited reasons were baseline comorbidities (15%) and IP port complications (12%). Receipt of ≥1cycle of IP chemotherapy (HR 0.51; 95% CI, 0.32–0.80) and no gross residual disease (HR 0.47; 95% CI, 0.31–0.71) were associated with improved overall survival. ConclusionPotentially modifiable factors identified as leading to the use of IV-only chemotherapy were postoperative status and IP port complications, which if altered, could potentially lead to increased IP chemotherapy use.

Cytoreductive surgery with intraperitoneal chemotherapy in the management of peritoneal surface malignancy: a pharmacist's perspective

ObjectivesTo explore the use of intraperitoneal chemotherapy in conjunction with cytoreductive surgery for the treatment of peritoneal surface malignancy and highlight the challenges this provides for the hospital pharmacist.MethodsA literature...

Gynecologic Cancer

This chapter focuses on the three types of gynecologic cancer—epithelial cancer of the ovary, cancer of the uterine cervix, and cancer of the endometrium (uterine cancer)—and reviews their epidemiology, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, surgical features, and staging, as well as their risk factors and clinical features. Also discussed are methods of treatment and the management of relapse. Epithelial ovarian cancer occurs at a mean age of 60 years in the United States and is the most lethal of gynecologic tract tumors. However, a recent trial has demonstrated a survival advantage through the use of intraperitoneal chemotherapy for appropriate patients with optimally debulked ovarian cancer. Invasive cervical cancer is uncommon in developed countries, partly because of the effectiveness of Pap smear screening. Nevertheless, cancer of the uterine cervix is the third most common gynecologic cancer diagnosis and cause of death among gynecologic cancers in the United States. However, for women with early-stage cervical cancer, data from several randomized trials indicate an improvement in response rate and survival through the use of combination platinum-based regimens for platinum-sensitive relapse. Also noted is an improvement in survival using combined-modality chemoradiation in appropriate patients with locally advanced cervical cancer. Endometrial cancer is the most frequent tumor of the gynecologic tract; it is estimated that it occurred in over 46,000 women and caused more than 8,000 deaths in the United States in 2011. Recent data indicate improvement in survival using adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy in appropriate patients with high-risk endometrial cancer. Tables in this chapter review the common histologic types of epithelial ovarian cancer, selected signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging system for epithelial ovarian cancer, differential diagnosis of a complex cyst detected by transvaginal sonography, selected adverse prognostic factors in epithelial ovarian cancer, common chemotherapy agents used in the treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer, the FIGO surgical staging of endometrial cancer, and postoperative management considerations for patients with uterine cancer. Figures illustrate the four histologic subtypes of epithelial ovarian cancer, the intraoperative appearance of stage III epithelial ovarian cancer, and FIGO staging of cervical cancer. This review contains 6 highly rendered figures, 8 tables, and 150 references.

Gynecologic Cancer

This chapter focuses on the three types of gynecologic cancer—epithelial cancer of the ovary, cancer of the uterine cervix, and cancer of the endometrium (uterine cancer)—and reviews their epidemiology, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, surgical features, and staging, as well as their risk factors and clinical features. Also discussed are methods of treatment and the management of relapse. Epithelial ovarian cancer occurs at a mean age of 60 years in the United States and is the most lethal of gynecologic tract tumors. However, a recent trial has demonstrated a survival advantage through the use of intraperitoneal chemotherapy for appropriate patients with optimally debulked ovarian cancer. Invasive cervical cancer is uncommon in developed countries, partly because of the effectiveness of Pap smear screening. Nevertheless, cancer of the uterine cervix is the third most common gynecologic cancer diagnosis and cause of death among gynecologic cancers in the United States. However, for women with early-stage cervical cancer, data from several randomized trials indicate an improvement in response rate and survival through the use of combination platinum-based regimens for platinum-sensitive relapse. Also noted is an improvement in survival using combined-modality chemoradiation in appropriate patients with locally advanced cervical cancer. Endometrial cancer is the most frequent tumor of the gynecologic tract; it is estimated that it occurred in over 46,000 women and caused more than 8,000 deaths in the United States in 2011. Recent data indicate improvement in survival using adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy in appropriate patients with high-risk endometrial cancer. Tables in this chapter review the common histologic types of epithelial ovarian cancer, selected signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging system for epithelial ovarian cancer, differential diagnosis of a complex cyst detected by transvaginal sonography, selected adverse prognostic factors in epithelial ovarian cancer, common chemotherapy agents used in the treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer, the FIGO surgical staging of endometrial cancer, and postoperative management considerations for patients with uterine cancer. Figures illustrate the four histologic subtypes of epithelial ovarian cancer, the intraoperative appearance of stage III epithelial ovarian cancer, and FIGO staging of cervical cancer. This review contains 6 highly rendered figures, 8 tables, and 150 references.

Diffusion of Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy in Women with Advanced Ovarian Cancer in Community Settings 2003–2008: The Effect of the NCI Clinical Recommendation

Purpose: A 2006 National Cancer Institute clinical announcement recommended the use of combined intravenous (IV) and intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy over IV chemotherapy alone for women with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage 3 optimally debulked ovarian cancer due to significant survival benefit demonstrated in multiple randomized clinical trials. We examined uptake of IP chemotherapy in community practice before and after this recommendation.Methods: We identified 288 women with FIGO stage 2 or greater incident ovarian cancer diagnosed from 2003 to 2008 at three integrated delivery systems in the US. Administrative health plan data were used to determine patient characteristics and receipt of IV and IP chemotherapy within 12 months of diagnosis. We compared characteristics of women receiving IV chemotherapy alone vs. IP chemotherapy (with or without IV chemotherapy) and assessed temporal trends in IP chemotherapy use.Results: Overall 12.5% (n = 36) of women received IP chemotherapy during the study period. IP chemotherapy use was non-existent between 2003 and 2005. Use of IP chemotherapy occurred among 26.9% of women diagnosed in 2006 and plateaued at 20.4% of women diagnosed in 2008. IP recipients were younger (mean age 55.9 vs. 63.5 years, p = < 0.001) and more likely to have stage 3 ovarian cancer (77.8 vs. 50.4% p = 0.039) compared to their IV-only chemotherapy counterparts.Conclusion: Use of IP chemotherapy for newly diagnosed advanced stage ovarian cancer patients was uncommon in this community setting. Future research should identify potential patient, physician, and system barriers and facilitators to using IP chemotherapy in this setting.

Survival impact of complete cytoreduction to no gross residual disease for advanced-stage ovarian cancer: A meta-analysis

ObjectiveTo quantify the impact of complete cytoreduction to no gross residual disease on overall survival among patients with advanced-stage ovarian cancer treated during the platinum–taxane era. MethodsPubMed and Cochrane Library databases were searched for all articles on primary cytoreductive surgery for advanced-stage ovarian cancer published from 1/1996 to 7/2011. A total of 18 relevant studies (13,257 patients) were identified for analysis. Simple and multiple linear regression analyses, with weighted correlation calculations, were used to assess the effect on median survival time of clinical and treatment-related factors. ResultsThe mean weighted median overall survival time for all cohorts was 44.4months (range, 27.6–66.9months). Simple linear regression analysis revealed that residual disease, stage IV disease, and use of intraperitoneal chemotherapy were significantly associated with median survival time. After controlling for other factors on multiple linear regression analysis, each 10% increase in the proportion of patients undergoing complete cytoreduction to no gross residual disease was associated with a significant and independent 2.3-month increase (95%CI=0.6–4.0, p=0.011) in cohort median survival compared to a 1.8-month increase (95%CI=0.6–3.0, p=0.004) in cohort median survival for optimal cytoreduction (residual disease≤1cm). Each 10% increase in the proportion of patients receiving intraperitoneal chemotherapy was associated with a significant and independent 3.9-month increase (95%CI=1.1–6.8, p=0.008) in median cohort survival time. ConclusionsFor advanced-stage ovarian cancer treated during the platinum–taxane era, the proportions of patients left with no gross residual disease and receiving intraperitoneal chemotherapy are independently significant factors associated with the most favorable cohort survival time.

Intraperitoneal Catheter Placement: The “Hammock” Technique

BackgroundOvarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecologic malignancies in the United States. The NCI released a clinical announcement supporting the use of intraperitoneal chemotherapy in addition to intravenous chemotherapy. However, multiple trials have shown that IP administration is severely limited by catheter complications. PurposeWe present a new technique for inserting and securing IP catheters in order to prevent the previously reported complications, in particular obstruction of the catheter, bowel and vaginal cuff perforation. MethodsFrom March 2006 through February 2010, 38 patients with stage III or IV ovarian cancer underwent optimal cytoreductive surgery and had an IP catheter placed via the “Hammock” technique. Results14 patients underwent modified posterior exenteration (37%); 6 underwent splenectomy (16%); thirteen small bowel resections (34%). All 38 patients underwent pelvic and aortic lymphadenectomy. Two patients had reservoir complications; one “flipped over”, and the other had an infection at the port site. Both patient’s elected to discontinue the IP portion of the chemotherapy regimen. 219 cycles of chemotherapy were completed (96%) out of a possible 228 cycles. The only complications were related to the reservoir. There were no catheter-related complications. ConclusionAs an increasing number of IP catheters are placed at the time of cytoreductive surgery, we will continue to have catheter complications and IP chemotherapy administration difficulties. In using the “Hammock” Technique, we had no catheter complications, and a 96% chemotherapy completion rate. We recommend using the “Hammock” Technique for inserting and securing IP catheters at the time of cytoreductive surgery. .

Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Recurrent Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Is Feasible With High Completion Rates, Low Complications, and Acceptable Patient Outcomes

Three large randomized clinical trials have shown a survival benefit for patients treated with intraperitoneal (IP) compared with intravenous chemotherapy for advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). However, the use of IP chemotherapy in recurrent EOC is controversial. The purpose of this study was to determine outcomes, completion rates, and frequency of complications in patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent EOC treated with IP chemotherapy. A retrospective, single-institution analysis of women who received IP chemotherapy for recurrent EOC from January 2003 to April 2010 was conducted. Study patients were identified from the Tumor Registry and office records. Demographic factors, stage, histology, surgical findings, cytoreduction status, and subsequent therapies were abstracted. Progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated by Kaplan-Meier methods. Fifty-six women who received IP chemotherapy for their first EOC recurrence were identified. The mean age of patients was 56.7 years (range, 40-79 y). Fifty-five patients (98.3%) had previously completed at least 6 cycles of intravenous chemotherapy. Of all patients, 87.5% were initially diagnosed with advanced stage disease (stage IIA-IV). All patients underwent secondary cytoreduction at the time of IP port placement. Moreover, 67.9% of patients were considered optimally cytoreduced (<1 cm residual disease) at the end of the secondary debulking surgery. Forty-two patients (75%) were able to successfully complete at least 6 cycles of IP chemotherapy. Reasons for noncompletion were disease progression, allergic reaction, renal failure, pain, severe nausea and vomiting, death, and patient refusal. Six patients (10.7%) developed port complications including pain around port site, port malfunction, and port erosion into small bowel. Median PFS since the initiation of IP chemotherapy was 10.5 months (95% confidence interval, 7.5-16.4 months) and median OS was 51 months (95% confidence interval, 40.8-61.1 months). Intraperitoneal chemotherapy is a feasible option for patients with recurrent EOC, with high completion rates, low frequency of complications, and acceptable PFS and OS.

Three ongoing intraperitoneal chemotherapy trials in ovarian cancer

Three ongoing intraperitoneal chemotherapy trials in ovarian cancer

Editors’ Choice

Editors’ Choice

Upper abdominal cytoreduction and thoracoscopy for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer: unanswered questions and the impact on treatment

Gynaecological oncologists, by conducting Phase II and III chemotherapy trials, have sought to improve survival in women with epithelial ovarian cancer. The greatest impact on survival has been the use of intraperitoneal chemotherapy in women who have had all visible disease removed. No change in drug regimen has had an impact on survival equivalent to that associated with complete cytoreduction or the use of intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Interestingly, these two treatment modalities (complete cytoreduction and intraperitoneal chemotherapy) have not been universally adopted. Most often it is the inability to achieve optimal cytoreduction in the upper abdomen that defines the limit of the cytoreductive effort, and ultimately the integration of intraperitoneal chemotherapy. The importance of identifying disease outside the abdominal cavity, along with achieving complete cytoreduction, is paramount, if the use of intraperitoneal chemotherapy is to be logically integrated in treatment algorithms for women with advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer. This report summarises pertinent literature on upper abdominal cytoreduction, discusses surgical techniques and introduces new data on women with epithelial ovarian cancer undergoing thoracoscopy, suggesting consideration of its incorporation into the surgical management of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer.

Intraperitoneal chemotherapy for recurrent ovarian cancer appears efficacious with high completion rates and low complications

Objective: Three prospective phase III clinical trials have shown a benefit of intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy as a front-line therapy in the treatment of ovarian cancer. However, little is known about the use of IP chemotherapy in recurrent ovarian cancer. The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), completion rates, and frequency of complications in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) treated with IP chemotherapy for recurrent disease.