Long term survival following cytoreductive surgery and intraperitoneal hyperthermic chemotherapy for disseminated appendiceal tumors

Abstract

4128 Background: Appendiceal tumors represent 2.8% of gastrointestinal tumors and less than 0.5% of gastrointestinal malignancies, but frequently involve intraperitoneal spread. Controversial treatment of disseminated tumor has consisted of extensive debulking surgery, peritonectomy, and intraperitoneal chemotherapy. We evaluated the disease free and overall survival, morbidity and mortality of patients with disseminated appendiceal tumors treated by cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and intraperitoneal hyperthermic chemotherapy (IPHC). Methods: A retrospective review of a prospective database was performed between 1999 and 2005. Thirty-one patients underwent CRS followed by IPHC using mitomycin 40 mg infused over 90 minutes at 40–42°C. Patients were given a Peritoneal Carcinomatosis Index (PCI) score pre and post operatively. Postoperatively, patients were assigned cytoreductive scores, indicating completeness of resection: CC-0 = no residual disease, CC-1 ≤ 0.25 cm, CC-2 = 0.25–2.5 cm, CC-3 ≥ 2.5 cm. Cox proportional-hazards models were used to test the influence of different variables on survival. The models were adjusted for age, grade of differentiation, histology and cytoreductive score. Results: There were 14 females and 17 males with a mean age 50 years (range 33–80). Two-thirds of all patients had a preoperative PCI score of >20. The overall survival at 1 year was 96% (95% CI, 74% to 99%) and at 3 years was 69% (95% CI, 38% to 86%). Disease free survival at 3 years was 30% ( 95% CI, 8% to 56%). There was no mortality from the procedure. Overall morbidity, including Grades 1–5 as described by the CTCAE guidelines, was 48%. A multivariate analysis was performed for grade of differentiation and was not found to be statistically significant. However, log rank test for equality of survivor functions in patients with CC scores of 0 or 1 experience recurrence of disease at a slower rate than patients with scores of 2 or 3 (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Although further study is necessary, Cytoreductive surgery followed by IPHC, where a low PCI score and a CC score of ≤1 is achieved, can lead to increased survival for selected patients having advanced appendiceal cancer with peritoneal dissemination. No significant financial relationships to disclose.