Ovarian cancer is the eighth most common
neoplasm in women with a high mortality rate mainly due to a marked propensity for peritoneal spread directly at diagnosis, as well as
tumor recurrence after radical surgical treatment. Treatments for peritoneal
metastases have to be designed from a patient's perspective and focus on meaningful measures of benefit.
Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (
HIPEC), a strategy combining maximal
cytoreductive surgery with regional
chemotherapy, has been proposed to treat advanced
ovarian cancer. Preliminary results to date have shown promising results, with improved survival outcomes and
tumor regression. As knowledge about the disease process increases, practice guidelines will continue to evolve. In this review, we have reported a broad overview of advanced
ovarian cancer management, and an update of the current evidence. The future perspectives of the Italian Society of Surgical Oncology (SICO) are discussed conclusively.