Questions and Answers
Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (IP) for Ovarian Cancer
January 2006

Is IP therapy available now?
Many institutions across the nation are now incorporating IP therapy into treatments for ovarian cancer patients.  The chemotherapy drugs used in IP have long been approved for use in ovarian cancer.  If you are newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer, please consult a gynecologic oncologist first to ensure the best surgery and chemotherapy options, including whether you would be a good candidate for IP therapy.  To find a gynecologic oncologist in your area, please see the following links:
Gynecologic Oncology Group member institutions:  http://www.gog.org/goginst.pdf
Society of Gynecologic Oncologists: http://www.wcn.org/interior.cfm?diseaseid=13&featureid=4

National Cancer Institute Clinical Announcement, including a list of institutions familiar with IP therapy:
http://ctep.cancer.gov/highlights/ovarian.html

Which type of patient would not be an ideal candidate for IP therapy?
Patients with significant adhesions, infectious or surgical complications such as fistula formation or abdominal wall wounds, poor kidney function, and those who have had the left side of their colon or rectosigmoid removed during surgery are not ideal candidates for IP therapy.  Patients felt to be a poor candidate for cisplatin or taxol would not be ideal as well.  It is not clear whether IP therapy has benefits over IV therapy for recurrent disease.  IP therapy is currently not recommended for patients with large amounts of residual disease after surgery.

Is IP therapy successful for recurrent disease?
The current study only addressed use of IP therapy in newly diagnosed ovarian cancer patients.  There is no current data that has determined whether patients with recurrent disease might have the same survival benefits.  The Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) is conducting a clinical trial of IP therapy for recurrent disease.  Check with your doctor to learn more or speak with an expert at a GOG member institution (link to GOG Web site: http://www.gog.org/goginst.pdf).  Ongoing clinical trials using IP therapy for recurrent disease can be found through the National Cancer Institute Web site at http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials.

If my doctors have questions about this therapy, where can they read more?
The current study is published in the January 5, 2006 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine (www.NEJM.org).  More information on intraperitoneal catheters can be found at the GOG Web site (www.gog.org) and another journal article in Gynecologic Oncology (citation: Walker JL, Armstrong DK, Huang HQ, et al. Intraperitoneal catheter outcomes in a phase III trial of intravenous versus intraperitoneal chemotherapy in optimal stage III ovarian and primary peritoneal cancer: A Gynecologic Oncology Group study. Gynecol Oncol 2006:100:27-32.)

How do I make an appointment with a Johns Hopkins expert?
If you would like to schedule an appointment with a Johns Hopkins ovarian cancer specialist, please call (Please note: Experts at Johns Hopkins cannot answer individual phone calls or emails):
• Surgery: 410-502-4245
• Medical Oncology (chemotherapy and other options): 410-955-8964

Are there other new treatment options that might be helpful to me?
Research on a wide variety of ovarian cancer treatment strategies is ongoing nationwide.
• Information on Johns Hopkins clinical trials, search our online list at: http://www.hopkinskimmelcancercenter.org/clinicaltrials/index.cfm
• Information about clinical trials at other cancer centers is available through the National Cancer Institute at www.cancer.gov and 1-800-4-CANCER.

Links to more information

Johns Hopkins Ovarian Cancer Center: www.ovariancancercenter.org
Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center: www.hopkinskimmelcancercenter.org
National Cancer Institute (NCI):
NCI’s news release: http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/IntraperitonealRelease
NCI’s Q&A : http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/IntraperitonealQandA
NCI's Clinical Announcement:
http://ctep.cancer.gov/highlights/ovarian.html
NCI database of clinical trials including IP therapy: http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials
GOG List of Member institutions: http://www.gog.org/goginst.pdf
Society of Gynecologic Oncology: www.sgo.org
New England Journal of Medicine: www.nejm.org