HIPEC – ADVANCED TREATMENT
HIPEC to offer hope for patients fighting with advanced stage Colorectal Cancer / Ovarian Cancer
What is HIPEC?
Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a highly concentrated, heated chemotherapy treatment that is delivered directly to the abdomen during surgery.
Unlike systemic chemotherapy delivery, which circulates throughout the body, HIPEC delivers chemotherapy directly to cancer cells in the abdomen. This allows for higher doses of chemotherapy treatment. Heating the solution may also improve the absorption of chemotherapy drugs by tumors and destroy microscopic cancer cells that remain in the abdomen after surgery.
How does it work?
Unlike systemic chemotherapy delivery, which circulates throughout the body, HIPEC delivers chemotherapy directly to cancer cells in the abdomen. This allows for higher doses of chemotherapy treatment. Heating the solution may also improve the absorption of chemotherapy drugs by tumors and destroy microscopic cancer cells that remain in the abdomen after surgery.
How does HIPEC differ from traditional chemotherapy?
Some type of cancers are very difficult to treat, particularly the ones located in the abdominal cavity. These cancers may not get killed as effectively with intravenous chemotherapy as with intraperitoneal chemotherapy. HIPEC experts say the heat makes the chemotherapy more powerful at killing these cancer cells and hence there is a specially devised HIPEC machine which delivers HIPEC at constant temperature.
What cancers does HIPEC treat?
HIPEC treats tumors in the abdominal (peritoneal) lining that stem from colon, gastric, ovarian, appendix tumors, mesothelioma and other cancers.
Advantages of HIPEC
- Allows for high doses of chemotherapy
- Enhances and concentrates chemotherapy within the abdomen
- Minimizes the rest of the body’s exposure to the chemotherapy
Improves chemotherapy absorption and susceptibility of cancer cells
Allows for high doses of chemotherapy
Enhances and concentrates chemotherapy in abdominal cavity locally
Reduces certain systemic side effects of chemotherapy
Overall has potential betterment of survival
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Our Team of HIPEC Experts
Our Centers for Peritoneal Surface Malignancies offer cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC for advanced stage abdominal cancers, including appendiceal (appendix) cancer, colorectal cancer, primary peritoneal cancer, peritoneal mesothelioma, ovarian cancer and stomach cancer.
Our HIPEC experts are surgical/gynae oncologists who have years of experience in performing complex and advanced surgical procedures. We work with a multispecialty team that includes medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and radiologists. The team offers each patient a comprehensive and personalized cancer treatment plan. Patients’ care teams also include clinical oncology dietitians, pain management clinicians, physical therapists and counselors to help patients manage treatment side effects and improve quality of life.
Key Points
- HIPEC is a highly concentrated, heated chemotherapy treatment that is delivered directly to the abdomen during surgery.
- HIPEC treats tumors in the abdominal (peritoneal) lining that stem from colon, gastric, ovarian, appendix tumors, mesothelioma and other cancers.
- Increases potential betterment of survival and reduces systemic side effects of chemotherapy.
- Improves overall survival significantly if done after appropriate patient selectionnces and concentrates chemotherapy within the abdomen
- Minimizes the rest of the body’s exposure to the chemotherapy
- Improves chemotherapy absorption and susceptibility of cancer cells