Paclitaxel and docetaxel are active in the treatment of patients with advanced ovarian cancer. The taxanes in various dose schedules achieve response rates of 10-50% with a median overall survival of 10-12 months in patients with platinum-refractory disease. Paclitaxel has activity in chemotherapy-naive patients when administered alone or in combination with platinum. The role of intraperitoneal paclitaxel remains to be defined.