BACKGROUND This study looks at the feasibility of intraperitoneal cisplatin-based treatment in patients newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer in a community hospital setting and provides long-term follow-up of a cohort of patients. METHODS Sixteen patients with epithelial ovarian cancer were studied. All patients underwent definitive surgical debulking. Patients were scheduled to be treated with six cycles of intraperitoneal cisplatin and either intravenous cyclophosphamide or intravenous doxorubicin at four week intervals. RESULTS Fifteen patients were evaluable for response. All patients received at least three cycles of intraperitoneal therapy. All patients had an initial clinical response. Nine of 15 patients underwent second-look laparotomy; five of the nine patients had positive second-looks, none had residual macroscopic disease. Of the remaining six patients, five had clinical complete remissions and four are alive without recurrence. CONCLUSIONS High-dose intraperitoneal cisplatin-based with sodium thiosulfate protection is generally well-tolerated and possibly an appropriate alternative first-line therapy for selected patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.