Seminars in oncology
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In women with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer, secondary treatment options include surgery and chemotherapy. Surgery should be considered in patients with persistent disease at the time of second-look laparotomy and before chemotherapy in those whose disease recurs following long-term remission. With regard to secondary chemotherapy, active agents include cisplatin, carboplatin, ifosfamide, and paclitaxel. ⋯ Patients who receive platinum therapy initially and relapse after long periods of remission often respond to second-line platinum treatment. Ifosfamide may be effective in patients receiving one or two prior cisplatin-containing regimens, but is contraindicated in those with hepatic or renal insufficiency. Paclitaxel is the drug of choice for patients who have developed primary resistance to platinum therapy.