Daily intraperitoneal administration of cytarabine in a patient with peritoneal mesothelioma

A 58 year old male with advanced peritoneal malignant mesothelioma was treated with the daily (5 days/week) intraperitoneal administration of cytarabine in a large treatment volume (1-2 liters) for 7 weeks. While a clinical benefit was not observed, there was no systemic toxicity (except for mild emesis) during or following the intraperitoneal treatment program. Long-term exposure of slow growing solid tumors in the peritoneal cavity to a cell-cycle phase-specific agent with limited systemic exposure and toxicity is an innovative and potentially important means of rationally utilizing this class of anti-neoplastic drugs.