OBJECTIVES: To compare survival data in platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian 
cancer patients submitted to secondary cytoreduction (SCR) plus hyperthermic 
intraperitoneal intraoperative chemotherapy (HIPEC) (Cases) and a similar group 
of women not experiencing HIPEC (Controls).
METHODS: Case-control study, matching 30 Cases with 37 Controls, with at least 
24 months of follow-up.
RESULTS: Groups were comparable for all characteristics, except for a higher 
proportion of patients with single-nodule relapses is the Controls (19 vs. 6; 
p=0.011). Median follow-up time was 46 months in the Cases and 36 months in the 
Controls. Twenty patients (66.6%) experienced secondary recurrence in the Cases 
and 37 women (100%) in the Controls (p=0.001). Moreover, 7 (23.3%) and 23 
(62.2%) patients died of disease in the Cases and Controls respectively 
(p=0.003). The duration of secondary response was 26 months in the Cases and 15 
months in the Controls (p=0.004).
CONCLUSIONS: The combination of SCR and HIPEC seems to improve survival rate in 
patients suffering from platinum-sensitive EOC recurrence with respect to 
no-HIPEC treatments. This result further supports the need of a randomized 
trial.