Postoperative Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy Research Articles

Long-term intraperitoneal access with description of a new access catheter.

Intraperitoneal chemotherapy can be administered as a single dose associated with hyperthermia (HIPEC) or in successive doses under normothermic conditions, such as early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (EPIC) or normothermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (NIPEC or NIPEC-LT). Repetitive administration of intraperitoneal chemotherapy over a prolonged period may be associated with catheter-related complications, which are the primary cause of treatment interruption. This study aims to introduce and evaluate an innovative catheter system designed to mitigate these issues. Using a porcine experimental model, we tested a new catheter for long-term intraperitoneal access. Sixteen animals underwent catheter implantation followed by normothermic recirculation of peritoneal dialysis solution. Catheter functionality and any complications were monitored throughout successive treatment cycles. The new catheter system demonstrated optimal recirculation and maintained its functionality throughout successive treatments, without complications. Catheter replacement with a guidewire was successful, ensuring continued efficacy. The innovative catheter system shows promise in reducing complications and improving compliance in successive intraperitoneal chemotherapy doses, justifying further clinical trials to confirm its efficacy in patients.

Comparison of EPIC Versus HIPEC in the Treatment of Colorectal Peritoneal Metastases and Appendix Tumors Using Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting.

The selection of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) or early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (EPIC) for peritoneal metastases from colorectal cancer or appendiceal neoplasms following cytoreductive surgery (CRS) depends on the surgeon's discretion. This study was designed to compare postoperative and oncologic outcomes of HIPEC and EPIC using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). This study included 175 patients who received HIPEC or EPIC following CRS at a single tertiary university hospital between December 1999 and December 2020. Inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis was performed to control for pretreatment characteristics between the two groups. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine factors associated with postoperative and survival outcomes. After IPTW, no significant differences in baseline demographics and tumor characteristics were observed between the two groups. The HIPEC group had a significantly longer operation time than the EPIC group. The EPIC group showed a significantly higher postoperative mortality rate than the HIPEC group. Operation time (odds ratio [OR] 1.01; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.02; p < 0.001), bowel anastomosis (OR 7.25; 95% CI 1.16-45.2; p = 0.034), neoadjuvant chemotherapy (OR 7.62; 95% CI 1.85-31.4; p = 0.005), and EPIC (OR 8.76; 95% CI 2.16-35.5; p = 0.002) were independent risk factors for major surgical complications. No association was observed between intraperitoneal chemotherapy type and major hematologic toxicity, overall survival, progression-free survival, or peritoneal progression-free survival. EPIC was a risk factor for major surgical complications. Survival outcomes were similar between the two types of intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) vs. postoperative intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy – Impact on health-related quality of life in primary ovarian cancer patients after cytoreductive surgery

PurposeTo compare health-related quality of life (HRQL) in primary ovarian cancer (OC) patients with peritoneal metastases (PM) after undergoing upfront cytoreductive surgery with or without hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) as part of a phase 2 trial (NCT-02124421). MethodsPatients with stage III/IV high-grade serous OC were randomized (1:1) to either CRS/HIPEC with carboplatin followed by 6 cycles of adjuvant systemic chemotherapy (carboplatin/paclitaxel) or CRS followed by 6 cycles of combination intraperitoneal/intravenous chemotherapy (cisplatin/paclitaxel). The trial outcome index (TOI) of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Ovarian (FACT-O) questionnaire was used to assess HRQL. The FACT-O was administered at randomization and postoperatively at 6 weeks and 6, 12, and 24 months, or until disease recurrence/death. HRQL was analyzed using a linear mixed model. ResultsSixteen patients were enrolled in each group. All (32/32) patients completed questionnaires at baseline and 53.1 % (17/32) at 24 months. Reasons for missing scores were similar between groups. Average TOI was similar between treatment arms at each time point. In both arms, mean TOI was below baseline at 6 weeks (p = 0.798) and 6 months (p = 0.821) after CRS, but recovered at 12 months (p = 0.518). No significant differences were found in FACT-O total score or FACT-O individual dimensions over time between groups. ConclusionsNo long-term HRQL impairment was observed when HIPEC was added to CRS in primary OC. Access to CRS/HIPEC as primary treatment of PM in OC should not be solely limited by concerns for patient HRQL. SynopsisHealth-related quality of life (HRQL) was evaluated in primary ovarian cancer patients participating in a phase 2 trial comparing cytoreductive surgery (CRS)/HIPEC vs CRS + intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy. No differences between groups or long-term HRQL impairment were observed.

Intraperitoneal chemotherapy for colorectal cancer peritoneal metastasis

Peritoneal metastasis is one of the common site of colorectal cancer metastasis and associated with a poor prognosis. The core strategy for colorectal cancer peritoneal metastasis primarily revolves around a comprehensive treatment approach with cytoreductive surgery and systemic chemotherapy as the mainstay, supplemented by intraperitoneal chemotherapy. As an important supplement to treatment, intraperitoneal chemotherapy has broad application prospects. The main modalities are hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), neoadjuvant intraperitoneal and systemic chemotherapy (NIPS), early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (EPIC), sequential postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (SPIC), normothermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (NIPEC) and pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC). To promote the standardized application of intraperitoneal chemotherapy, further research on the mechanisms underlying peritoneal metastasis of colorectal cancer, selection of effective intraperitoneal chemotherapy agents, determination of optimal timing and administration protocols, exploration of the feasibility of sequential intraperitoneal chemotherapy and conduction of valuable basic and clinical research are currently needed. This paper will review the development and origins of intraperitoneal chemotherapy, treatment modalities, as well as the current application status and prospects of various treatment approaches in the context of peritoneal metastasis of colorectal cancer.

Massive neoplastic ascites

Peritoneal metastases frequently occur in primary or recurrent abdominal malignancy and are often associated with massive ascites, which determines severe abdominal bloating, respiratory distress, and poor quality of life in patients with few months of life. After the failure of traditional medical therapies, simple drainage is effective in providing temporary symptom relief but does not provide a durable solution. Several treatment options are available, but no standard treatment strategy has been established, and none of the treatments consistently showed the ability to extend life expectancy. This review focuses on outcomes and adverse events of simple drainage, catheter placement, intraperitoneal therapy, peritoneovenous shunting, hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy, pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy, and cell-free and concentrated ascites reinfusion therapy. The choice between the available options for durable symptom management requires both care and caution in weighing risks and benefits according to the patient’s life expectancy.

Japanese practice of comprehensive treatment for peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer

Patients with peritoneal metastasis (PM) from gastric cancer (GC) have a poor prognosis. Surgery or systemic treatment alone hardly improves the prognosis and overall survival (OS). A newly developed comprehensive treatment involving a combination of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has been used to treat patients with PM from GC. The Peritoneal Dissemination Center of Kishiwada Tokushukai Hospital in Japan has been committed to treating patients with PM from GC. Selected patients undergo laparoscopic hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (LHIPEC), preoperative intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy, and systemic chemotherapy that includes intravenous and oral chemotherapy prior to surgery. CRS plus HIPEC is then performed to achieve complete cytoreduction. Postoperative IP chemotherapy or systemic chemotherapy is also administered to nearly all patients. The results demonstrate that comprehensive treatment, including neoadjuvant chemotherapy and CRS plus HIPEC, can significantly improve the prognosis and OS of selected patients with PM from GC.

Determinants of Outcome with Reoperative Surgery for Pseudomyxoma Peritonei in 186 Patients.

To describe the long-term survival and clinical- and treatment-related variables that determine the outcome of repeat cytoreductive surgery (CRS) for mucinous appendiceal neoplasms with peritoneal dissemination. After patients with peritoneal dissemination of an appendiceal mucinous neoplasm have a CRS, disease progression may require secondary cytoreductive surgery (SCRS) and other treatments performed in a timely manner to prolong survival and help preserve an optimal quality of life. The clinical- and treatment-related variables associated with the index CRS and the SCRS were statistically assessed for their impact on survival. One hundred eighty-six of 687 complete CRS patients (27.1%) had SCRS. The median follow-up was 10 years and the median survival was 12 years. There were 95 males (51%) and the median age was 45.0 years. Survival benefit was associated with the index CRS by use of early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (EPIC) with 5-fluorouracil [Hazard ratio (HR), 0.4; P = 0.0004]. Also, survival of low-grade mucinous appendiceal neoplasms versus mucinous appendiceal adenocarcinoma (HR, 2.8; P < 0.0001) was improved. The interval between index CRS and SCRS was significant at ≤12 months versus 12-36 months versus >36 months (P < 0.0001). Change in peritoneal cancer index and disease distribution as focal or diffuse was significant by univariant and multivariant analyses. If the CRS was complete, the use of EPIC 5-fluorouracil, the interval between the index CRS and the SCRS, the histologic grade of the mucinous neoplasm, and the extent of recurrent disease were prognostic variables that should be used to help select patients for SCRS.

Can EPIC Be a Low-Cost Alternative to HIPEC in Advanced Epithelial Ovarian Cancer in Resource-Constraint Settings? Experience from Tertiary Care Oncology Center.

Management of advanced ovarian cancer underwent a paradigm shift with advent of cytoreductive surgery and intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy requires complex machinery and costly disposables, and increased operative time. Early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy is a relatively less resource-intensive alternative way of intraperitoneal drug delivery. We started our HIPEC programme in 2013. In select cases, we offer EPIC. This study is an audit of outcomes to look into the feasibility of EPIC as alternative to HIPEC. We performed analysis of prospectively maintained database in the Department of Surgical oncology from January 2019 to June 2022. We had 15 patients who underwent CRS + EPIC and 84 CRS+ HIPEC. We did a propensity-matched analysis for demographics, baseline data and PCI and compared 15 CRS + EPIC with 15 CRS + HIPEC patients. We compared the perioperative outcomes-morbidity, mortality, length of ICU and hospital stay. Procedure time was significantly higher in the HIPEC compared to EPIC as HIPEC is an intraoperative procedure. Patients were admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) after surgery for a longer mean duration in HIPEC arm (1.4 + 0.7 days) compared to EPIC arm (1.2 + 0.41 days). Patients in HIPEC arm had a significantly shorter hospital stay (mean 7.93 vs. 9.93 days. Four patients in EPIC arm had Clavien-Dindo grade 3 and 4 morbidity compared to 1 patient in HIPEC arm. Hematological toxicity was more common in EPIC group. CRS with EPIC can be explored as an alternative to HIPEC in centres lacking facilities and expertise for HIPEC.

Overall survival and morbidity are not associated with advanced age for cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy: a single centre experience.

Cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) has enabled better prognosis for patients with peritoneal surface malignancies. However, in older age groups, short -and long-term outcomes are still perceived as poor. We evaluated patients aged 70 and over and determine if age is a predictor of morbidity, mortality and overall survival (OS). A retrospective cohort analysis was performed on CRS/HIPEC patients and categorised by age. The primary outcome was overall survival. Secondary outcomes included morbidity, mortality, hospital and incentive care unit (ICU) stay and early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (EPIC). A total of 1,129 patients were identified with 134 aged 70+ and 935 under 70. There was no difference in OS (p=0.175) or major morbidity (p=0.051). Advanced age was associated with higher mortality (4.48 vs. 1.11 %, p=0.010), longer ICU stay (p<0.001) and longer hospitalisation (p<0.001). The older group was less likely to achieve complete cytoreduction (61.2 vs. 73 %, p=0.004) and receive EPIC (23.9 vs. 32.7 %, p=0.040). In patients undergoing CRS/HIPEC, age of 70 and above does not impact OS or major morbidity but is associated with increased mortality. Age alone should not be a limiting factor in selecting CRS/HIPEC patients. Careful multi-disciplinary approach is needed when considering those of advanced age.

A Preliminary Study of Immediate Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Stage III Colorectal Cancer.

Investigate the survival of patients with stage III colorectal cancer (CRC) treated with immediate postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy. The clinical data of 195 patients with stage III CRC admitted to The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from June 2017 to June 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into an observation group and a control group, both groups were treated with the routine laparoscopic radical operation, on the basis of which, the patients in the observation group were treated with intraperitoneal perfusion chemotherapy during the operation. The local recurrence, abdominal cavity metastasis, and liver metastasis were followed up, and the time of disease recurrence and total survival were recorded. The survival analysis showed that there was a significant difference in progression-free survival (χ2 = 5.416, P = 0.020) and overall survival (χ2 = 4.673, P = 0.031) between the observation group and the control group. During laparoscopic radical resection of CRC, the use of intraperitoneal chemotherapy with raltitrexed can achieve satisfactory results and improve the survival rate of patients with stage III CRC, perioperative use of raltitrexed has been shown to be beneficial in terms of overall survival and progression-free survival.

Survival benefits with EPIC in addition to HIPEC for low grade appendiceal neoplasms with pseudomyxoma peritonei: a propensity score matched study.

Appendiceal cancer is a rare malignancy, occurring in roughly 1.2 per 100,000 per year. Low grade appendiceal neoplasams (LAMN) in particular can lead to pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP), and respond poorly to systemic chemotherapy. Standard treatment includes cytoreduction surgery (CRS) with addition of heated intraoperative peritoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). Several centres include early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (EPIC) however; the literature is mixed on the benefits. We aim to examine the benefits of additional EPIC through a propensity-matched analysis. Patients with LAMN with PMP who underwent cytoreductive surgery at St George hospital between 1996 and 2020 were included in this retrospective analysis. Propensity score matching was performed with the following used to identify matched controls; sex, age, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade, peritoneal cancer index (PCI) and morbidity grade. Outcomes measured included length of stay and survival. A total of 224 patients were identified of which 52 received HIPEC alone. Propensity matching was performed to identify 52 matched patients who received HIPEC+EPIC. Those receiving HIPEC+EPIC were younger at 54.3 vs. 58.4years (p=0.044). There was a median survival benefit of 34.3months for HIPEC+EPIC (127.3 vs. 93.0months, p=0.02). Median length of stay was higher in those who received EPIC (25.0 vs. 23.5days, p=0.028). In LAMN with PMP, the addition of EPIC to HIPEC with CRS improves overall survival in propensity score matched cases but results in prolonged hospitalisation. The use of EPIC should still be considered in selected patients.

Colorectal cohort analysis from the Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy After Cytoreductive Surgery for Peritoneal Metastasis (ICARuS) clinical trial.

160 Background: ICARuS is a randomized phase II, multicenter trial to evaluate the relative efficacy of Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) with mitomycin C vs. Early Postoperative Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (EPIC) with floxuridine (FUDR), after cytoreductive surgery (CRS), for the treatment of peritoneal metastases (PM) from colorectal (CRC) or appendiceal cancer (AC). PRODIGE7 results failed to demonstrate benefit of HIPEC therapy after complete gross resection of CRC PM, prompting termination of CRC accrual and early cohort analysis. Methods: Patients with isolated, confirmed PM were eligible for 1:1 randomization to CRS plus HIPEC with mitomycin C or CRS plus EPIC with FUDR. Patients were stratified by recent systemic chemotherapy and disease (AC vs. CRC). The trial was originally powered to evaluate 212 patients for a 20% gain in a primary endpoint of 3-year progression free survival (PFS: HR = 1.75). Results: Seventy-five CRC patients were included between 4/2013 and 12/2018 for HIPEC (N = 40) or EPIC (N = 35) treatment. Baseline characteristics were well balanced. After a median follow up of 36 months, the median PFS was 7.7 months (95% CI: 6.3-11.1) in the HIPEC arm and 8.8 months (95% CI: 7.1-21.9) in the EPIC arm, HR = 0.69 (95% CI: 0.42-1.14) p = 0.14. In the 42 left-sided primary cancers, the median PFS was 8.4 months (95% CI: 6.4-17.7) in the HIPEC arm and 12.5 months (95% CI: 8.1-NR) in the EPIC arm, HR = 0.60 (95% CI: 0.29-1.22) p = 0.14. In the 33 right-sided primary cancers, the median PFS was 6.5 months (95% CI: 5.5-14.1) in the HIPEC arm and 8 months (95% CI: 5.8-24.1) in the EPIC arm, HR = 0.80 (95% CI: 0.39-1.64) p = 0.53. PFS was significantly better in the EPIC arm among patients with BRAF wildtype (WT) tumors and patients with higher PM burden (PCI &gt; 7). There was no difference between HIPEC and EPIC in the primary toxicity endpoint of complications grade 3 or above (23 vs. 34%, p = 0.3). Conclusions: Three-year PFS did not significantly differ between treatment arms. The lack of survival benefit of HIPEC in the entire cohort and in subset analysis is consistent with the findings of PRODIGE7. ICARuS remains open to accrual for AC. These data support further investigation of the potential benefit of EPIC with CRS in carefully selected patients with CRC PM. Clinical trial information: NCT01815359 .

Comparing Survival Outcomes and Impact of EPIC in Patients Undergoing CRS/HIPEC for Mucinous Appendiceal Neoplasm.

This study sought to investigate the difference in survival outcomes in patients with complete cytoreduction (CC)-0 or CC-1 mucinous appendiceal cancer undergoing cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). It also investigated what effect early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (EPIC) may have on survival based on CC score and histology. This was a retrospective single centre study of patients that underwent CRS/HIPEC +/- EPIC for mucinous appendiceal neoplasms from June 2003 to February 2022. A total of 545 patients were identified. Although there was a survival difference between CC-0 and CC-1 on univariate analyses, this was not statistically significant on multivariate analysis. Histology, peritoneal cancer index, and EPIC status were demonstrated to be independent factors that affected overall survival (OS) on multivariate analysis. Patients with CC-1 that received EPIC had significantly improved OS (mean OS 14 years) when compared to patients that did not receive EPIC (mean OS 6 years). In CC-1, OS was significantly improved in patients that received EPIC in both low-grade (p<0.001) and high-grade (p=0.012) disease. OS for patients that received EPIC at 1, 5, and 10 years was 95%, 80%, and 59%, respectively. OS for patients that did not receive EPIC at 1, 5, and 10 years was 84%, 49%, and 30%, respectively. There was no difference in OS between CC-0 and CC-1. The implementation of EPIC in patients with CC-1 significantly improved OS in both low-grade and high-grade disease and thus we recommend its addition in CC-1 disease to achieve optimal survival outcome.

Secondary cytoreductive surgery for lymph node positive mucinous appendiceal neoplasms

BackgroundPatients who have surgery for a gastrointestinal cancer routinely have clinical and radiological tests in an effort to detect recurrent disease. If cancer progression is documented, additional surgery performed in a timely manner may prolong survival and help maintain an optimal quality of life. In mucinous appendiceal cancer patients a secondary cytoreductive surgery (SCRS) may be considered if recurrent disease is detected. MethodsIn patients with both lymph node metastases and peritoneal metastases from a mucinous appendiceal adenocarcinoma (MACA-LN) who had a prior complete cytoreductive surgery (CRS), the clinical- and treatment-related variables associated with the index CRS and the SCRS were extracted from a database and secured research files. These variables were statistically assessed for their impact on survival. ResultsTwelve of 39 lymph node positive patients (30.8%) had SCRS. The mean follow-up was 7.6 years and the median survival was 4.5 years. There were 4 males (33%) and median age was 44 years. Significant prognostic variables associated with improved survival with the index CRS by univariant analysis was the use of early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (EPIC) (p = 0.0469). For the SCRS, no significant prognostic variables, not even completeness of cytoreduction, were discovered. ConclusionsIn MACA-LN patients, improved survival with SCRS was shown as compared to patients who recurred but did not undergo SCRS. In this group of patients with an aggressive disease, if SCRS was possible it improved survival with long-term (greater than 5 years) follow-up.

Oncological impact of intraperitoneal chemotherapy after cytoreductive surgery for patients with colorectal peritoneal metastasis: A bi-institutional retrospective analysis.

There is a paucity of evidence on the value of intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IPC) following cytoreductive surgery (CRS) for colorectal peritoneal metastasis. This study aimed to evaluate the association between mitomycin C-IPC and survival outcomes following CRS. The institutional databases of two tertiary hospitals were reviewed to identify patients who underwent CRS for colorectal peritoneal metastasis. The outcomes of patients who underwent CRS without IPC were compared with those of patients who underwent CRS plus early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy(EPIC) or CRS plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy(HIPEC). The primary endpoints were cancer-specific survival (CSS), progression-free survival (PFS), and peritoneal PFS (P-PFS). In 149 patients with peritoneal metastasis alone, EPIC and HIPEC use was significantly associated with better CSS, PFS, and P-PFS in the multivariate analysis. CSS was also significantly associated with perioperative systemic chemotherapy. Among 42 patients with both peritoneal and extraperitoneal metastases, CSS was independently related to the completeness of cytoreduction score, location of extraperitoneal metastasis, and grade 3-4 complications. Mitomycin C-IPC after CRS was associated with better survival outcomes than CRS alone in patients with resectable peritoneal metastasis of colorectal cancer. This study found that IPC had beneficial effects regarding P-PFS in patients with both peritoneal and extraperitoneal metastases.

Extent of Disease on Visceral Peritoneal Surfaces of Mucinous Appendiceal Neoplasms Controls Survival.

To determine causes of treatment failure of low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasms (LAMN). For 3 decades, LAMN have been treated by cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy. This combined treatment has resulted in a large change in the survival of these patients. A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database was performed. A restricted cohort of patients with only LAMN histology and complete CRS were included in the statistical analysis. Four hundred and fifty patients were available with a median follow-up of 15.3 years (range 10-35 years). The median age was 49.7 and there were 196 males (43.6%). The mean survival was 24.5 years. Extent of parietal peritonectomy, resection of uterus, ovaries and apex of vagina had no impact on survival. Variables that indicated an increased extent of disease on visceral peritoneal surfaces had a significant impact on survival. Early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil did not augment hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). Patients who required reoperation for recurrence or patients with class 4 adverse events had a reduced prognosis. The mean survival of LAMN treated by complete CRS and perioperative chemotherapy was 24.5 years. Extent of disease quantitated on visceral peritoneal surfaces by the extent of visceral resections was the variable associated with treatment failure. Peritonectomy plus HIPEC was able to control disease on parietal peritoneal surfaces. Not only a larger extent of disease but also its location on visceral peritoneal surfaces controlled survival.

Secondary cytoreductive surgery for low‐grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasms

In patients with low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasms (LAMN), a secondary cytoreductive surgery (SCRS) is often performed if recurrent disease is detected. In patients with a complete cytoreductive surgery (CRS), the clinical- and treatment-related variables associated with the index CRS and the SCRS were statistically assessed for their impact on overall survival after SCRS. Eighty-eight patients of 450 patients (19.6%) had SCRS. The mean survival was 15.3 years for patients requiring SCRS as compared to 24.5 years for the group as a whole. Variables associated with improved survival as a result of the index CRS by multivariant modeling were absence of total gastrectomy (p = 0.0038), moderate peritoneal cancer index of 15-30 (p = 0.0020) and time interval of greater than 36 months from CRS to SCRS (p = 0.0013). Multivariant modeling associated with SCRS were complete CRS (p = 0.0104) and disease progression limited to the abdominal wall (p = 0.0106). Early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (EPIC) 5-fluorouracil used with CRS improved the outcome with SCRS (p = 0.0095). A requirement for SCRS in 88 patients decreased median survival to 15.3 years as compared to 24.5 years in all 450 LAMN patients (p < 0.0001). Prognostic indicators from both the index CRS and the SCRS had an impact on the outcome of SCRS.

Impact of Macroscopic Tumour Consistency and EPIC in Low-grade Appendiceal Neoplasms With Pseudomyxoma Peritonei

Background/Aim: Low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm (LAMN) with pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP), otherwise known as disseminated peritoneal adenomucinosis (DPAM), is treated with cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) with or without early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (EPIC). These tumours can vary significantly intraoperatively in terms of macroscopic appearance and consistency, and this may have an effect on survival outcomes. This study examines the differences between soft and hard tumours in terms of shortterm outcomes and long-term survival and whether this can change with the use of EPIC. Patients and Methods: Patients were classified into having macroscopically soft or hard tumours. A comparison of short-term outcomes (major morbidity, mortality, length of ICU stay and length of hospital stay) and long-term outcomes (overall survival) was performed. Survival sub analysis was performed in the patients who received EPIC. Results: Soft tumours behaved differently, with lower morbidity, mortality, shorter ICU stay and hospitalisation. They also demonstrated greater overall survival (86.7% at 5 years, p&lt;0.001). EPIC improved the overall survival for both soft and hard tumours. Conclusion: Tumour consistency has an impact on the outcomes of patients with DPAM and this can be used for prognostication.

Optimizing regional chemotherapy for epithelial ovarian cancer.

The response with intravenous chemotherapy using cisplatin and paclitaxel in patients with advanced ovarian cancer is often substantial. However, this regression of the malignancy is not durable, and a majority of patients succumb to this disease process. It is possible that alternative types of chemotherapy and alternative routes of chemotherapy administration can improve the results of treatment and perhaps, reduce the morbidity and mortality that patients experience. Regional chemotherapy treatments previously presented in the ovarian cancer literature were reviewed and critically analyzed. New methods for chemotherapy delivery for both advanced primary and recurrent ovarian cancer were reviewed. This included hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (EPIC), and normothermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (NIPEC) long-term. An important addition to perioperative chemotherapy delivery is the simultaneous use of heat with intraperitoneal drug delivery after a complete cytoreductive surgery. Drugs to be considered for HIPEC are cisplatin, gemcitabine, and melphalan. For EPIC, chemotherapy agents to consider include paclitaxel, pemetrexed, gemcitabine, and liposomal doxorubicin. For NIPEC, paclitaxel is the drug of choice usually combined with a systemic agent as bidirectional chemotherapy. Also, pemetrexed, gemcitabine, and liposomal doxorubicin are drugs to be considered for NIPEC in phase I/II trials. Innovative regimens of regional chemotherapy may improve the outcome of patients with advanced ovarian cancer. These chemotherapy treatments must be integrated with complete cytoreductive surgery and the availability of peritoneal access for repeated delivery of chemotherapy solutions.

Gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancer: Risk factors and prophylactic treatments for prevention of peritoneal recurrence after curative intent surgery.

AimRelapse after curative treatment for advanced gastric cancer, and especially peritoneal recurrence, is very common and has a dismal prognosis. The aim of this review is to summarize existing evidence regarding risk factors and prophylactic treatments intending to prevent peritoneal recurrence.MethodsA structured search of relevant studies was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library.ResultsThe main risk factors identified are advanced pathological T‐stage (pT ≥ 3), regional lymph node involvement, diffuse/poorly cohesive type tumor, poorly differentiated cancer, and positive peritoneal wash cytology. Systemic chemotherapy in the perioperative or adjuvant setting improves survival for the patients but despite this peritoneal recurrence remains a common and yet an unsolved clinical problem. Different approaches of intraperitoneal chemotherapy such as hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy and early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy have shown promising results as prophylactic treatments aiming to prevent peritoneal recurrence.ConclusionFuture studies are warranted to find safe and effective treatments to prevent peritoneal recurrence.