Abdominal stop flow infusion breaks drug resistance in systemically pretreated progressive FIGO IIIc and IV ovarian cancer

Abstract

Fourty-five patients with progressive FIGO IIIc (36/45 pts.) and IV (9/45 pts.) ovarian cancer, who were in progression under prior cisplatin-based chemotherapy, were submitted to aortic infusion and stop flow infusion with the same drugs. 36/45 patients (80%) had four-quadrant and 9/45 patients (20%) had two-quadrant peritoneal carcinosis, 33/45 with severe ascites. Overall clinical response was 93%: 5/45 CR (11%), 21/45 PR (47%), 16/45 MR (35%). Complete resolution of ascites occurred in 9/33 patients (27%), a substantial reduction of ascites of more than 50% in 14/33 patients (43%). Median survival time was 12.5 months, median time to progression 8.6 months. Toxicity was minimal and in most patients performance and quality of life improved shortly after therapy.