Intraperitoneal cisplatin and doxorubicin as maintenance chemotherapy for unresectable ovarian cancer: a case report

BACKGROUND: Primary advanced, unresectable ovarian cancer (OC) is treated with palliative systemic chemotherapy. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy may be an alternative local maintenance therapy. CASE PRESENTATION: A 75 year old woman with laparoscopically and histologically confirmed unresectable OC was treated with 13 cycles of intraperitoneal cisplatin 7.5 mg/m(2) and doxorubicin 1.5 mg/m(2) over 2 years using laparoscopic pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC). Objective tumor response (tumor regression on histology, stable disease on repeated video-laparoscopy and peritoneal carcinomatosis index) was noted. No Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) > grade 3 were observed. EORTC QLQ-C30 quality of life measurements were stable throughout the therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Repeated intraperitoneal chemotherapy with cisplatin and doxorubicin applied as PIPAC may be an effective maintenance treatment in women with primary advanced, unresectable OC. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-016-3004-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.