Dr Chris Gallagher talks to ecancer at the 2013 NCRI Cancer Conference in Liverpool about the PETROC study.

The trial is a meta analysis of phase III trials of post operative intraperitoneal chemotherapy in epithelial ovarian cancer, fallopian tube and primary peritoneal cancer.

In the 853 patients that participated, with 6 years follow-up, there was a reduction of 16% in risk of progression, 17% in risk of death, and increased median progression free (20 to 25 months),and overall (51 to 62 months )survival.

PETROC/OV21 is designed to investigate women not able to be optimally debulked at primary surgery who have had primary IV chemotherapy and optimal interval debulking followed by IVor IP treatment, with dose paclitaxel plus carboplatinor cisplatin.

The study reached the conclusion that intraperitoneal chemotherapy after interval debulking surgery is feasible and safe.