Phase II Trial Points to Possible Benefits of IP Chemotherapy after Neoadjuvant Therapy and Surgery

(December 4, 2017) The results of a phase II trial, which focused on stages IIB to IVA epithelial ovarian cancer, were recently published in the Annals of Oncology. The primary purpose of the six year, two stage, multicenter trial was to look at the nine month progressive disease rate when using intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible.

To determine the effect of the IP therapy, patients were divided into one of two arms of the study, one group received intravenous (IV) carboplatin/paclitaxel and the other received IP carboplatin and IV/IP paclitaxel. The study showed that women with stage IIIC or IVA epithelial ovarian cancer who first received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and debulking surgery, followed by IP carboplatin based chemotherapy, had a better nine month progressive disease rate when compared to those who followed the same treatment regimen but received IV carboplatin. There was no difference in quality of life or toxicity between the two arms of the study.