Background: Ascites secondary to malignancy is a major cause of recurring morbidity in patients with ovarian cancer. In patients previously treated with cisplatin, other chemotherapeutic agents are not likely to be effective in relieving symptoms.
Methods: A pilot group of ten patients was treated with intraperitoneal alpha-2B-interferon (alpha-2B-IFN) in an effort to provide symptomatic relief of their ascites. All patients had advanced epithelial ovarian cancer at the time of therapy and were receiving treatment for palliation only. Symptoms included abdominal distention (100% of patients), nausea and vomiting in the absence of mechanical intestinal obstruction (60%), and dyspepsia (40%).
Results: At a dose of 10 M units/m2 given intraperitoneally every 2 weeks for one to four treatments, the toxicity was low, but the benefits were minimal. Five (50%) patients reported symptomatic improvement of 2-7 weeks' duration. The most common side effects included fever (temperature of more than 38.5 degrees C) and abdominal pain.
Conclusions: At the dose of 10 M units/m2 of intraperitoneal alpha-2B-IFN, this regimen did not appear to produce clinically significant palliation of the ascites in most patients.