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Review
. 2022 Jun;48(6):1306-1317.
doi: 10.1111/jog.15224. Epub 2022 Mar 27.

Optimizing regional chemotherapy for epithelial ovarian cancer

Paul H Sugarbaker  1
Affiliations
Review

Optimizing regional chemotherapy for epithelial ovarian cancer

Paul H Sugarbaker. J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2022 Jun.

Abstract

Aim: The response with intravenous chemotherapy using cisplatin and paclitaxel in patients with advanced ovarian cancer is often substantial. However, this regression of the malignancy is not durable, and a majority of patients succumb to this disease process. It is possible that alternative types of chemotherapy and alternative routes of chemotherapy administration can improve the results of treatment and perhaps, reduce the morbidity and mortality that patients experience.

Methods: Regional chemotherapy treatments previously presented in the ovarian cancer literature were reviewed and critically analyzed. New methods for chemotherapy delivery for both advanced primary and recurrent ovarian cancer were reviewed. This included hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (EPIC), and normothermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (NIPEC) long-term.

Results: An important addition to perioperative chemotherapy delivery is the simultaneous use of heat with intraperitoneal drug delivery after a complete cytoreductive surgery. Drugs to be considered for HIPEC are cisplatin, gemcitabine, and melphalan. For EPIC, chemotherapy agents to consider include paclitaxel, pemetrexed, gemcitabine, and liposomal doxorubicin. For NIPEC, paclitaxel is the drug of choice usually combined with a systemic agent as bidirectional chemotherapy. Also, pemetrexed, gemcitabine, and liposomal doxorubicin are drugs to be considered for NIPEC in phase I/II trials.

Conclusions: Innovative regimens of regional chemotherapy may improve the outcome of patients with advanced ovarian cancer. These chemotherapy treatments must be integrated with complete cytoreductive surgery and the availability of peritoneal access for repeated delivery of chemotherapy solutions.

Keywords: EPIC; HIPEC; NIPEC; cisplatin; gemcitabine; intraperitoneal port; paclitaxel; pemetrexed; tumor cell entrapment.

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References

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