Phase II trial of intraperitoneal paclitaxel in carcinoma of the ovary, tube, and peritoneum: a Gynecologic Oncology Group Study.

PURPOSE

To determine the response rate of intraperitoneal (i.p.) paclitaxel in patients with small-volume residual carcinomas of the ovary, fallopian tube, or peritoneum.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eligibility criteria included patients with one of the cancers noted above, with the largest residual disease 0.5 cm or less in maximum diameter at the end of second-look surgery, and prior treatment with systemic paclitaxel was permitted. The treatment plan was paclitaxel 60 mg/m2 i.p. weekly for 16 weeks, followed by surgical evaluation in patients without evidence of disease progression.

RESULTS

Of 80 patients entered onto the study, 76 were eligible, of whom 86% were considered to be potentially cisplatin-sensitive. Although five patients (7%) did not complete the first course of therapy because of catheter leakage or blockade, 53 patients (70%) received all 16 planned courses. Only 14 patients (18%) received fewer than 11 courses. Treatment was well tolerated, which included only moderate abdominal pain (grade 2, 12 patients; grade 3, one patient) and minimal neutropenia (grade 2, three patients; grade 3, one patient). Of 28 assessable patients with microscopic disease at the start of i.p. therapy, 17 patients (61%) achieved a surgically defined complete response (CR). Only one of 31 patients (3%) with any macroscopic disease achieved a CR. Of the eligible patients, 18 of 76 (24%) achieved a CR.

CONCLUSION

Salvage i.p. paclitaxel is tolerable and active in patients with microscopic residual disease. The impact of this treatment strategy on survival remains to be assessed in a phase III trial.