Cytoreductive surgery and intraoperative hyperthermic chemoperfusion for advanced ovarian carcinoma
Trevor W Reichman1, Bernadette Cracchiolo, Jahir Sama
1Division of Surgical Oncology, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, New Jersey 07903, USA.
Background:
Optimal cytoreductive surgery combined with intraoperative hyperthermic chemoperfusion (IHCP) is a therapy that potentially could improve survival in a select group of patients with advanced ovarian cancer. The purpose of this study was to review the results of cytoreductive surgery and IHCP for advanced ovarian cancer and to identify factors that may predict which patients maximally benefit from this aggressive treatment.
Methods:
Patients treated with cytoreduction followed by IHCP for ovarian cancer were identified from an IHCP database from 1/2001 through 3/2004. Several factors including resection status, peritoneal cancer index (PCI), and prior surgery were evaluated for their ability to predict survival in our cohort of patients.
Results:
Thirteen patients with ovarian cancer treated with cytoreductive surgery followed by IHCP were identified. The 3-year overall survival rate for all thirteen patients was 55%. The median disease-free survival was 15.4 months (3-year disease-free survival, 11%). Several factors including PCI score (<6), ability to resect all gross disease, and previous surgical exploration appeared to impart an overall survival advantage.
Conclusions:
The use of IHCP coupled with optimal cytoreduction is a safe and effective treatment for advanced ovarian carcinoma. However, the proper selection of patients who will benefit most from the therapy is essential for the success of the treatment.


