Advanced cancer of the ovary: Intraperitoneal chemotherapy as a new therapeutical option

Intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy has been used in patients presenting different stages of ovarian cancer. We performed a critical review of the available literature on IP as first-line treatment in advanced ovarian cancer to consider if this new option should be incorporated into the commonly applied guidelines for treatment of ovarian cancer. We concluded that without further data, it would not be ethically correct to administer chemotherapy intraperitoneally. Outside of planned clinical trials, patients should not be exposed to this treatment modality and its associated toxicity. The present international guidelines are still valid and recommended chemotherapy in advanced ovarian cancer remains treatment with paclitaxel and carboplatin. Further studies on this topic are, however, warranted.