The current practice of cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC for colorectal peritoneal metastases: Results of a worldwide web-based survey of the Peritoneal Surface Oncology Group International (PSOGI).

BACKGROUND: At present, selected patients with resectable colorectal peritoneal metastases (CRC-PM) are increasingly treated with a combination therapy of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). The aim of this study was to investigate the current worldwide practice. METHODS: HIPEC experts from 19 countries were invited through the Peritoneal Surface Oncology Group International (PSOGI) to complete an online survey concerning their personal expertise and current hospital and countrywide practice. RESULTS: It is estimated that currently more than 3800 patients with CRC-PM (synchronous and metachronous) are annually treated with CRS and HIPEC in 430 centers. Integration of CRS and HIPEC in national guidelines varies, resulting in large treatment disparities between countries. Amongst the experts, there was general agreement on issues related to indication, surgical technique and follow up but less on systemic chemotherapy or proactive strategies. CONCLUSION: This international survey demonstrates that CRS and HIPEC is now performed on a large scale for CRC-PM patients. Variation in treatment may result in heterogeneity in surgical and oncological outcomes, emphasising the necessity to reach consensus on several issues of this comprehensive procedure. Future initiatives directed at achieving an international consensus statement are needed.

Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for ovarian cancer: a "useless intraoperative fever" or the next hot voice in the surgical management of the "silent killer"?

The aim of our opinion letter is to highlight the recent findings in the field of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) use in ovarian cancer management. Two recent studies reveal that ovarian cancer patients treated with HIPEC can extend their survival independently of the timing offered-either at the initial cytoreductive effort or at the time of disease relapse. The research field is flourishing and further data are awaited from randomised control trials. Although, HIPEC is not considered yet as the standard of care in the management of ovarian cancer patients, the initial findings of its use are promising.

Peritoneal carcinomatosis: intraoperative parameters in open (coliseum) versus closed abdomen HIPEC.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) is associated with a poor prognosis. Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and HIPEC play an important role in well-selected patients with PC. The aim of the study is to present the differences in the intraoperative parameters in patients who received HIPEC in two different manners, open versus closed abdomen. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The population includes 105 patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis from colorectal, gastric, and ovarian cancer, sarcoma, mesothelioma, and pseudomyxoma peritonei. Group A (n = 60) received HIPEC using the open technique and Group B (n = 45) received HIPEC with the closed technique. The main end points were morbidity, mortality, and overall hospital stay. RESULTS: There were two postoperative deaths (3.3%) in the open group versus no deaths in the closed group. Twenty-two patients in the open group (55%) had grade III-IV complications versus 18 patients in the closed group (40%). There are more stable intraoperative conditions in the closed abdomen HIPEC in CVP, pulse rate, and systolic pressure parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Both methods are equal in the HIPEC procedures. Perhaps the closed method is the method of choice for frail patients due to more stable hemodynamic parameters.

Cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC in recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer: a prospective randomized phase III study.

BACKGROUND: The current treatment of ovarian cancer consists of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and systemic chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to examine if hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is an alternative modality to treat this category of patients along with a second attempt of surgical resection and second- or third-line systemic chemotherapy afterward. METHODS: In an 8-year period (2006-2013), 120 women with advanced ovarian cancer (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics [FIGO] IIIc and IV) who experienced disease recurrence after initial treatment with conservative or debulking surgery and systemic chemotherapy were randomized into two groups. Group A comprised 60 patients treated with CRS followed by HIPEC and then systemic chemotherapy. Group B comprised 60 patients treated with CRS only and systemic chemotherapy. RESULTS: The mean survival for group A was 26.7 versus 13.4 months in group B (p < 0.006). Three-year survival was 75 % for group A versus 18 % for group B (p < 0.01). In the HIPEC group, the mean survival was not different between patients with platinum-resistant disease versus platinum-sensitive disease (26.6 vs. 26.8 months). On the other hand, in the non-HIPEC group, there was a statistically significant difference between platinum-sensitive versus platinum-resistant disease (15.2 vs. 10.2 months, p < 0.002). Complete cytoreduction was associated with longer survival. Patients with a peritoneal cancer index score of <15 appeared also to have longer survival. CONCLUSIONS: The use of HIPEC along with the extent of the disease and the extent of cytoreduction play an important role in the survival of patients with recurrence in an initially advanced ovarian cancer.

Cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC for peritoneal carcinomatosis in the elderly.

BACKGROUND: The combined treatment of peritoneal carcinomatosis with cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy is a rigorous surgical treatment, most suitable for young and good performance status patients. We evaluated the outcomes of elderly patients undergoing CRS and HIPEC for peritoneal carcinomatosis with careful perioperative care. METHODS: All consecutive patients 70 years of age or older who were treated for peritoneal carcinomatosis over the past five years were included. Primary outcomes were perioperative morbidity and mortality. Secondary outcomes were disease-free survival and overall survival. RESULTS: From a pool of 100 patients, with a diagnosis of PC who underwent CRS and HIPEC in our center, we have included 30 patients at an age of 70 years or older and the results were compared to the patients younger than 70 years. The total morbidity rate was 50% versus 41.5% in the group younger than 70 years (NSS).The mortality rate was 3.3% in the elderly group versus 1.43%in the younger group (NSS). Median overall survival was 30 months in the older group versus 38 months in the younger group. CONCLUSION: Cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC for peritoneal carcinomatosis may be safely performed with acceptable morbidity in selected elderly patients.

Reoperation combining re-cytoreductive surgery and re-HIPEC for recurrent peritoneal carcinomatosis.

PURPOSE: Cytoreductive surgery (CS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is the proper treatment for resectable peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the postoperative course and long-term outcome of repeat CS (reCS) plus repeat HIPEC (reHIPEC) in patients with recurrent disease, after primary CS plus primary HIPEC. METHODS: From 2004 to 2012 85 patients were subjected to primary CS + HIPEC. Fourteen of those patients developed recurrent PC and were subjected to reCS+reHIPEC during the same time period. Eligibility criteria included limited extent of the peritoneal disease, and interval of more than 12 months from the primary CS+HIPEC. The origins of the tumors were ovarian cancer (n=7) colorectal cancer (n=3), pseudomyxoma peritonei (n=3), and uterine sarcoma (n=1). RESULTS: At second laparotomy, mean peritoneal cancer index (PCI) was 5.3 + 2.8. Among the 14 procedures, HIPEC was used in all patients. The postoperative mortality was 0% and grade 3-4 postoperative complications occurred in 4 patients. The overall 1-, 2- and 3- year overall survival rate was 90, 40 and 30%, respectively. CONCLUSION: ReCS+reHIPEC is feasible and yields an accepted survival in highly selected patients.

Peritoneal carcinomatosis 2011; it's about time for chemosurgery.

The aim of this article was to offer a review on the management of peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) from cancers of different primary origins. Peritoneal surface malignancies have been traditionally regarded as end-stage conditions amenable to merely palliative options, treated with systemic chemotherapy alone with very poor response and a median survival of less than 6 months. The combination of aggressive cytoreductive surgery (CRS), involving peritonectomy procedures and multivisceral resections with hyperthermic intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) to treat microscopic residual disease is a new concept. This method was established with several phase III studies in well selected patients with PC in whom sufficient cytoreduction could be achieved. Despite the need for more high quality phase III studies, there is now a consensus among many surgical teams around the world about the use of this new combination strategy as a standard of care in pseudomyxoma peritonei, peritoneal mesothelioma and colorectal cancer patients. This review summarizes the current status and possible progress in the future.

The role of cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in the management of recurrent advanced ovarian cancer: a prospective study.

PURPOSE: Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecological cancer. The current treatment of this type of cancer consists of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and systemic chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to examine if the hyperthermic intraoperative chemotherapy (HIPEC) is an alternative modality to treat this category of patients along with a second attempt of surgical resection and second or third line systemic chemotherapy. METHODS: Forty-eight patients suffering from advanced ovarian cancer (FIGO stages III and IV) who recurred after initial treatment with conservative or debulking surgery and systemic chemotherapy were included in this study. Twenty-four patients (group A) were treated with CRS followed by HIPEC and then systemic chemotherapy. Due to various reasons the remaining 24 patients (group B) were treated with CRS and systemic chemotherapy alone. RESULTS: The median survival for group A was 19.4 months vs. 11.2 months in group B (p <0.05). One-year survival was 85% in group A vs. 35% in group B (p <0.05). The 3-year survival rate was 50% in group A vs. 18%. in group B (p <0.01). The resection status was found to be a significant predictor of overall survival (p <0.05). Patients with peritoneal cancer index (PCI) score < 15 appeared also to have longer survival. CONCLUSION: The use of HIPEC along with the extent of the disease and the extent of cytoreduction play an important role in the survival of patients with a recurrence in an initially advanced ovarian cancer.

Morbidity and mortality of cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in the management of peritoneal carcinomatosis.

PURPOSE: Peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC), which has been regarded as a lethal condition, may now be treated, achieving a long-term disease-free survival with cytoreductive surgery by treating macroscopic tumor seeding and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) by treating residual microscopic disease. The purpose of this study was to analyse the morbidity and mortality of this procedure. METHODS: A total of 39 consecutive patients were included in this retrospective study. After complete resection of the PC, HIPEC was performed via the coliseum technique. The chemotherapeutic agents used depended on the tumors' histology. RESULTS: Postoperative mortality and morbidity rates were 5.1%% (2/39) and 43.5% (17/39), respectively. The most frequent complications were pulmonary complications (31%), gastrointestinal fistulas (20%), hematologic toxicity (16%) and postoperative bleeding (11%). Statistical correlations were evidenced between morbidity and PC index (p<0.004), duration of surgery (p<0.001) and blood loss (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: This approach has resulted in a relatively high but acceptable percent of adverse events considering the expected advantage for survival.

Cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in the management of peritoneal carcinomatosis. Preliminary results and cost from two centers in Greece.

PURPOSE: To report our preliminary experience in the combined treatment of peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) using cytoreductive surgery plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective study included patients with PC from gynaecological, gastric and colon cancer, treated in two centers. Cytoreductive surgery included the peritonectomy procedures described by Jacquet and Sugarbaker as well as multivisceral resections in order to achieve a complete macroscopical cancer eradication. The HIPEC that followed was performed via the open abdomen technique. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients (3 men and 21 women, mean age 60 years) were treated. Twelve patients had PC from ovarian cancer, 7 from colon, 3 from gastric and 2 from uterine cancer. The mean duration of the procedure was 7.83 h (range 5 -12.30). Macroscopically, complete cytoreduction (CC) was achieved in 18 (75%) patients. Two (8.3%) patients died in the first 30 days. The overall morbidity was 42% and 2 patients were reoperated. The mean follow up was 22 months (range 3-36). The overall 1-year survival was 59.1%; concerning the gynaecological cancers it was 53.8% (mean survival 11.7 months) and for gastrointestinal cancers it was 44.4% (mean survival 9.5 months). CONCLUSION: Our preliminary data suggest that the combined treatment of cytoreduction plus HIPEC for PC is associated with acceptable mortality and morbidity and offers an improved survival in these patients. An optimal patient selection and establishment of experienced centres are of paramount importance.

Treatment of fistulas of the gastrointestinal tract with total parenteral nutrition and octreotide in patients with carcinoma.

The development of a fistula is a serious postoperative complication. Conservative medical treatment with total parenteral nutrition, skin care and intensive infection control usually succeeds in closing fistulas (60 to 75 percent), but the treatment is of long duration (two to three months), high cost and high morbidity related to prolonged hospitalization. We have used octreotide, a long half-life stomatostatin analog, in 40 patients from two European university centers with postoperative enterocutaneous fistulas. Twenty-two patients had low fistula output and 28 patients had high fistula output. Spontaneous closure was achieved in 77.5 percent of the patients after a mean of 13.6 days. One patient died. Glucose intolerance, which has been reported with stomatostatin treatment of fistulas, was not observed. Previous chemotherapy or radiotherapy or low albumin level (23 grams per deciliter) negatively influenced fistula closure. As an adjunct treatment to primary care (total parenteral nutrition, skin care and infection control), octreotide is efficient in reducing fistula output and accelerating spontaneous fistulas closure.