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Background: The aim was to determine the long-term outcome for patients with FIGO stage IV epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) treated with intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy after second-look assessment., Methods: By using data from a retrospective cohort of 433 patients who received IP therapy after second-look assessment after primary surgery and initial systemic therapy for EOC between 1984 and 1998 at our institution, all FIGO stage IIIC and IV patients were identified. Standard statistical methods were used., Results: Overall, 297 patients met study criteria (246 stage IIIC; 51 stage IV). The median survival for patients with stage IV disease was 34 months compared with 42 months for patients with stage IIIC disease (P=.02). The only significant predictor of overall survival in patients with stage IV disease was the presence of gross residual disease at initiation of IP therapy (P=.027). When comparing stage IV patients with and without pleural effusions to all stage IIIC patients, there was a significant trend toward improved survival in the patients with pleural effusions only compared with other stage IV patients (P=.01)., Conclusions: Prolonged overall survival was observed in patients with no gross residual disease at the time of IP chemotherapy initiation. When compared with similarly treated stage IIIC patients, stage IV patients with malignant pleural effusions appear to have a better outcome than those with other sites of metastasis. Future prospective trials should evaluate the use of IP therapy for patients with stage IV EOC by virtue of malignant pleural effusions only who responded to initial systemic therapy., (Copyright (c) 2008 American Cancer Society.)