Pharmacokinetics of intraperitoneal doxorubicin in combination with systemic cyclophosphamide and cis-platinum in the treatment of stage III ovarian cancer.

The pharmacokinetics of intraperitoneal doxorubicin in three previously untreated patients with ovarian cancer are described. All patients were maximally cytoreduced (largest residual tumor less than or equal to 2 cm). The average total body clearance (TBC) was 16.3 ml/kg/min (range 10.6-20.4 ml/kg/min) and the mean volume of distribution (VD) was 42.4 liter/kg (range 27.6-46.9 liter/kg). Half-life of elimination (t 1/2 beta) was 2.6 hr. In spite of a therapeutic advantage of 60 when administered intraperitoneally, prohibitive local toxicity limited the use of doxorubicin via the intraperitoneal route in patients with ovarian cancer.