Repetitive phosphorus-32 peritoneal instillations in a patient with malignant ascites

During the last decade, intraperitoneal injection of phosphorus-32 chromic phosphate (P-32 CP) has been used principally for its initial intended purpose, the palliative management of malignant ascites. The authors describe a patient with a stage IIIB well-differentiated extraovarian peritoneal serous papillary adenocarcinoma. As a palliative treatment for malignant ascites, P-32 CP was instilled intraabdominally eight times. Adverse effects were limited to the third instillation, when abdominal pain occurred as a result of leakage of the P-32 CP in the subcutaneous tissue. The P-32 CP instillations reduced the frequency of paracentesis for almost 1 year, until disease progression prevented palliation. Considering the few palliative options, there could be more widespread use of P-32 CP as a palliative treatment for patients with malignant ascites caused by ovarian cancer or extraovarian peritoneal adenocarcinoma. However, intraperitoneal P-32 CP is not without potential intestinal complications, which must be considered before it is recommended.