In patients with epithelian ovarian cancer who have achieved remission after initial surgery and induction chemotherapy, the role of maintenance chemotherapy is controversial. We carried out a trial-sequential analysis that included 4 randomised controlled trials. The end-point was progression at 3 years while the boundary for non-inferiority was set at ±20% in risk ratio. The results of our trial-sequential analysis indicated the futility of maintenance chemotherapy, i.e. proof of no effectiveness. Consequently, no further trials of this type should be performed to assess the effectiveness of this intervention in this clinical condition.