Intestinal obstruction is a common complication in peritoneal cancers. Obstructions occur especially as the cancer advances, at a time when life expectancy is often only a few months. Characteristic symptoms include nausea, vomiting, constipation, lack of bowel function, colicky and persistent abdominal pains. Conservative treatment aims to secure intestinal transit by applying pharmacologic therapies in cases where surgical therapy in partial or functional obstruction is not possible or reasonable. Pharmacologic therapy consists of antisecretory and antiemetic drugs combined with opioids.