Intraperitoneal cisplatin chemotherapy in the management of ovarian carcinoma

Phase I trials of the intraperitoneal (IP) administration of cisplatin have demonstrated that the drug can be safely delivered by this route with a major increase in exposure (approximately tenfold to 15-fold) of the cavity to the cytotoxic agent compared with that of the systemic circulation. Phase I trials of IP cisplatin in refractory ovarian carcinoma have shown that 30% to 50% of patients with small-volume residual disease (following systemically delivered cisplatin-based therapy) can be anticipated to experience a surgically documented response. While the ultimate role for cisplatin-based IP therapy in the standard management of ovarian carcinoma remains to be defined, it appears that at least a subset of patients with this malignancy (those with very small tumor nodules or microscopic disease only) may benefit from the institution of this therapeutic approach.