Intraperitoneal paclitaxel-cisplatin therapy does not prolong survival in stage III ovarian cancer

Intraperitoneal therapy with paclitaxel and cisplatin does not result in longer progression-free or overall survival in the adjuvant setting among patients with stage III ovarian cancer as compared with dose-dense paclitaxel and carboplatin, results of a study have shown. In addition, tolerability appears to have decreased with intraperitoneal therapy.

The investigators conducted a retrospective, single-centre chart review to compare progression-free survival, overall survival, and tolerability of adjuvant intraperitoneal paclitaxel and cisplatin to dose-dense paclitaxel and carboplatin in stage III ovarian cancer. Adult patients undergoing adjuvant intraperitoneal therapy or dose-dense therapy between 2010 and 2018 were included.

Of the 82 patients included in the final analysis, 44 received intraperitoneal therapy and 38 dose-dense therapy. The former did not substantially prolong progression-free survival when compared with the latter (35.4 vs 31.1 months; p=0.97). Overall survival duration also did not differ between intraperitoneal and dose-dense therapy (56.3 vs 54.5 months; p=0.55).

Patients on intraperitoneal therapy had less frequent dose reductions than those on dose-dense therapy (11.36 percent vs 31.58 percent; p=0.002).

Furthermore, no between-group difference was seen in treatment delays (45.5 percent vs 65.8 percent; p=0.07), dose cancellations (59.1 percent vs 57.9 percent; p=0.91), supportive care additions (95.5 percent vs 84.2 percent; p=0.09), or therapy discontinuation (59.1 percent vs 39.5 percent; p=0.07).

“Patients diagnosed with stage III ovarian cancer are at high risk of recurrence, and optimal adjuvant therapy is often debated,” the investigators said.