Short-term effects of chemotherapy-surgery-chemotherapy regimen on clinically inoperable advanced ovarian cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the short-term effects of chemotherapy-surgery-chemotherapy regimen on clinically inoperable advanced ovarian cancer. METHODS: Retrospective analysis was made on 16 cases of stage III and 2 cases of stage IV epithelial ovarian cancer with fixed pelvic mass. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with CP (cisplatin + cyclophosphamide) or CAP (CP + adriamycin) regimen was given by intraarterial, intraperitoneal, or systemic routes accordingly for an average of 2.8 courses. Sixteen of the 18 cases were assessed to be operable after preoperative chemotherapy. The uterus, adnexa, omentum, pelvic lymph nodes (14/18), and implants were included in the cytoreductive surgery. Pelvic masses were found to have almost disappeared in 9, and macroscopic residuals were found in 11 (residuals < 2 cm in 2, and > 2 cm in 5) of the 18 cases. Postoperative chemotherapy (CP, CAP, or CEP, E = VP16) was given for an average of 5.9 courses. RESULTS: Five out of 7 patients followed up for over 3 years have been surviving for 46, 44, 40, 38 and 36 months, respectively. CONCLUSION: Chemotherapy-surgery-chemotherapy regimen has beneficial effects on clinically inoperable advanced ovarian carcinoma.