Intraperitoneal doxorubicin in combination with systemic cisplatinum and cyclophosphamide in the treatment of stage III ovarian cancer.

Recent concepts and technical development have led to the successful application of the principles of intraperitoneal chemotherapy in the management of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. In a pilot study we treated five patients with Stage III ovarian cancer after maximal cytoreductive effort (residual tumor less than or equal to 2 cm) with combination chemotherapy consisting of intraperitoneal doxorubicin and intravenous cisplatinum and cyclophosphamide. Although intraperitoneal doxorubicin demonstrates a pharmacologic advantage over the intravenous administration of this drug, its use is limited by severe abdominal pain requiring narcotic analgesics. Chemical peritonitis and extensive peritoneal adhesions are frequent complications. The role of combination intraperitoneal and systemic chemotherapy in ovarian cancer warrants further study.