CYTOREDUCTION SURGERY WITH HIPEC IN PERITONEAL CARCINOMATOSIS OF GASTRIC ORIGIN: A HOPEFUL TREATMENT?

Abstract

Abstract INTRODUCTION The incidence of peritoneal metastases in gastric cancer are frequent and are associated with very poor median survival rates. The multimodal treatment of cytoreduction surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) could offer a better prognosis in selected cases although it is not currently contemplated in clinical practice guidelines. MATERIAL AND METHODS Of the 100 patients operated on for peritoneal carcinomatosis in our centre between May 2014 and December 2020, we selected those of gastric origin. Multidisciplinary CRS treatment with HIPEC was indicated in those patients with positive cytology and/or preoperative PCI <7. RESULTS Four men and one woman with a mean age of 63 years underwent surgery. The mean preoperative PCI was 2 and complete cytoreduction was achieved in all cases (CC-0). Complications included a biliary leak, a postoperative collection and a bronchoaspirative pneumonia. One patient died at 34 months. The other four are still alive: one with recurrence at 18 months and the rest without disease with a mean follow-up of 25 months. In one of the cases CRS surgery with HIPEC was performed as surgical salvage after initial surgery and in the rest as the only treatment. CONCLUSIONS Palliative systemic chemotherapy is considered the treatment of gastric cancer with peritoneal involvement, however, treatment based on CRS and HIPEC in selected cases could improve survival rates, disease-free interval and even be considered as salvage treatment in resectable oligometastatic recurrences.