Salvage therapy in ovarian cancer: is there a role for intraperitoneal drug delivery?
Phase 2 trials employing several antineoplastic agents have demonstrated that surgically documented responses, including complete responses, can result when patients with ovarian cancer are treated by the intraperitoneal route in the salvage setting following initial systemic chemotherapy. Activity is essentially limited to patients with very small-volume residual disease (microscopic cancer or largest visible tumor masses < or = 0.5 cm in maximum diameter) when the salvage regional therapy program is initiated. In the absence of a randomized phase 3 trial, the ultimate impact of these surgically documented responses on survival is difficult to evaluate, although long-term disease-free survival (> 4 years) has been demonstrated following intraperitoneal therapy in this clinical setting.
Markman
M
M
Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center, Ohio 44195.
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016879:Salvage Therapy
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents