Cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in peritoneal carcinomatosis from ovarian cancer

Complications of HIPEC for ovarian cancer surgery: evaluation over two time periods

OBJECTIVE

Cytoreductive surgery in conjunction with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is being explored in the upfront, interval, and recurrent setting in patients with ovarian cancer. The objective of this systematic review was to assess the rate of complications associated with HIPEC in epithelial ovarian cancer surgery over two time periods.

METHODS

This study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022328928). A systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist. Ovid/Medline, Ovid/Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched from January 2004 to April 2022. We included studies reporting on patients with advanced primary or recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer who underwent cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC. We evaluated two different time periods: 2004-2013 and 2014-2022. A random-effects meta-analysis was used to produce an overall summary. Subgroup analyses were planned according to recruited period for each specific complication type. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic.

RESULTS

A total of 4928 patients were included from 69 studies for this systematic review; 19 published from 2004-2013, and 50 published from 2014-2022. No significant differences were found between the two time periods in terms of blood transfusions (33% vs 51%; p=0.46; I2=95%) overall gastrointestinal complications (15% vs 21%; p=0.36; I2=98%), infectious diseases (16% vs 13%; p=0.62; I2=93%), overall respiratory complications (12% vs 12%; p=0.88; I2=91%), overall urinary complications (6% vs 12%; p=0.06; I2=94%), or thromboembolic events (5% vs 3%; p=0.25; I2=63%). Also, no differences were found in intensive care unit (ICU) admissions (89% vs 28%; p=0.06; I2=99%), reoperations (8% vs 7%; p=0.50; I2=37%), or deaths (3% vs 3%; p=0.77; I2=57%).

CONCLUSIONS

Our review showed that overall complications have not changed over time for patients undergoing HIPEC in the setting of primary or recurrent ovarian cancer. There was no decrease in the rates of ICU admissions, reoperations, or deaths.

Survival Outcomes after Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for a First Ovarian Cancer Relapse: A Systematic Evidence-Based Review

Simple Summary

Since 2000, scientific literature has recommended the use of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in the treatment of ovarian cancer relapse. This treatment, combining heavy abdominal surgery and intraperitoneal heated chemotherapy is associated with a risk of post-operative death and severe morbidity. Previous systematic reviews of the scientific literature concluded that HIPEC was effective for improving patient survival following a first relapse of ovarian cancer. This current systematic review, emphasizing the level of evidence of the published series, using the Oxford levels of evidence grading system, has made it possible to analyze the weaknesses of this scientific literature. This literature is characterized by biases—such as patient inclusion, and weak methods—such as retrospective patient collection, a small number of included patients, and no statistical hypothesis. As a results, HIPEC must remain an experimental procedure in ovarian cancer relapse, patients until there are positive results from ongoing clinical trials.

Abstract

Background: Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is routinely used in the treatment of a first ovarian cancer relapse. Methods: This systematic review, in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines, aimed to assess the quality of scientific proof of the survival benefits of HIPEC, using Medline and Google Scholar. Qualitative analysis using the Oxford CEBM Levels of Evidence 2011 grading is reported. Results: Of 469 articles identified, 23 were included; 15 based on series of patients treated with HIPEC without a control group, and 8 case control series of patients treated with or without HIPEC. The series without a control group showed median overall survival (OS) ranged from 23.5 to 63 months, highlighting a broad standard deviation. Considering the case control series, OS was significantly better in the HIPEC group in 5 studies, and similar in 1. The current review showed considerable heterogeneity and biases, with an Oxford Level of Evidence grading of 4 for 22 selected series and 2 for one. Conclusions: There is no strong evidence to suggest efficacy of HIPEC in improving survival of patients treated for a first relapse of ovarian cancer due to the low quality of the data.

Intraperitoneal chemotherapy for ovarian cancer with peritoneal metastases, systematic review of the literature and focused personal experience

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) causes 60% of ovarian cancer cases and is the fourth most common cause of death from cancer in women. The standard of care for EOC includes a combination of surgery followed by intravenous chemotherapy. Intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy (CT) has been introduced into the therapeutic algorithm of EOC with positive results. To explore existing results regarding intraperitoneal chemotherapy a systematic review of the literature and an analysis of our own institutional prospective database of patients treated with cytoreductive surgery plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for EOC at different stages were conducted. The focused report concerning our personal experience with advanced EOC treated with cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC produced the following results: In 57 patients cisplatin + paclitaxel as HIPEC was the only significant factor improving overall survival (OS) at multivariate analysis (OR 6.54, 95% CI: 1.24-34.47, P=0.027). Patients treated with HIPEC cisplatin + paclitaxel showed a median OS of 46 months (SD 6.4, 95% CI: 33.4-58.6), while patients treated with other HIPEC regimens showed a median OS of 12 months (SD 3.1, 95% CI: 6.0-18.0). The 2y-OS was 72% and 3y-OS was 68% for cisplatin + paclitaxel as HIPEC, while the 2y- and 3y-OS was 0% for other HIPEC regimens. Patients treated with HIPEC cisplatin + paclitaxel showed a median disease-free survival (DFS) of 13 months (SD 1.6, 95% CI: 9.9-16.1), while patients treated with other HIPEC regimens showed a median DFS of 8 months (SD 3.1, 95% CI: 1.9-14.1). In conclusion, HIPEC cisplatin + paclitaxel in ovarian cancer showed positive results that may be considered semi-definitive according to the level of evidence and should be considered a starting point for further investigations. At present HIPEC cisplatin + paclitaxel should be proposed to patients with advanced ovarian cancer as standard treatment at almost all stages of disease. Platinum + taxane-based intraperitoneal regimens demonstrated superior results compared to other regimens.

How do we perform hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in ovarian cancer? -a narrative review

Ovarian malignancy is a leading cause of death caused by gynecologic cancer worldwide because it is mainly found in the advanced stage and recurs in most patients even after cytoreductive surgery and intravenous (IV) chemotherapy. Prevention of recurrence of primary disease and treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer are still remained as major interest and lots of researchers investigate novel treatment to find optimal method. Even though intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy turns out to increase the overall survival, it is not widely used because of adverse event. As an alternative treatment for IP chemotherapy, hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is emerging a new way. Thanks to much research and use in other cancer species, such as the colorectal cancer cytoreductive surgery followed by HIPEC is becoming a promising treatment. However, randomized controlled trials and unbiased data in ovarian cancer patients are still needed for the establishment of therapy. Moreover, among the current situation in which treatments such as bevacizumab or PARP inhibitor have been found to be effective and have been widely used, it may be necessary to establish the role in the combination of HIPEC. This article is a comprehensive review of the HIPEC in ovarian cancer to introduce techniques, treatment results, and clinical trials of HIPEC.

Oncologic outcomes and morbidity following heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy at cytoreductive surgery for primary epithelial ovarian cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has not been universally adopted at the time of interval cytoreductive surgery for primary epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) despite evidence of a 12-month overall survival (OS) benefit in a recent landmark randomized trial. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess oncologic outcomes and perioperative morbidity following HIPEC among primary EOC patients.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, from inception to August 2019, for observational and randomized studies of primary EOC patients undergoing HIPEC. We assessed risk of bias using the Institute of Health Economics Quality Appraisal Checklist for single-arm cohort studies, Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for comparative cohort studies, and Cochrane Collaboration's Tool for randomized trials. We qualitatively summarized survival outcomes and calculated the pooled proportion of 30-day grade III-IV morbidity and postoperative death.

RESULTS

We identified 35 articles including 2252 primary EOC patients; one study was a randomized trial, and only six studies included a comparator group of surgery alone. The timing, temperature, and chemotherapeutic agents used for HIPEC differed across studies. Reported OS was highly variable (3-year OS range: 46-77%); three comparative cohort studies and the sole randomized trial reported statistically significant survival benefits for HIPEC over surgery alone, while two comparative cohort studies did not. The pooled proportions for grade III-IV morbidity and postoperative death at 30 days were 34% (95% CI 20-52) and 0% (95% CI 0-5) respectively.

CONCLUSION

One randomized trial suggests that HIPEC at time of interval cytoreductive surgery should be considered in patients with primary EOC. However, there is significant heterogeneity in literature with respect to an appropriate HIPEC regimen, short- and long-term outcomes. High-quality prospective randomized trials are urgently needed to clarify the role of HIPEC in the first-line treatment of primary EOC.

[Surgical treatment of peritoneal metastases from gynecological primary tumors]

BACKGROUND

The principle of surgical treatment of peritoneal metastases of ovarian cancer in the primary as well as in the recurrent disease setting includes macroscopic complete cytoreductive surgery. The addition of intraperitoneal chemotherapy after cytoreduction is currently not part of the standard treatment.

OBJECTIVE

Data on intraperitoneal chemotherapy for treatment of peritoneal metastases of ovarian cancer are presented focusing on overall and progression-free survival and on morbidity and mortality rates.

METHOD

PubMed search including the following terms: ovarian cancer, peritoneal metastases, cytoreduction and HIPEC.

RESULTS

Randomized-controlled and non-randomized controlled trials showed that intraperitoneal chemotherapy after maximum cytoreductive surgery results in a survival benefit regarding overall and progression-free survival for primary as well as recurrent disease. Addition of HIPEC does not impact on the initiation of postoperative systemic chemotherapy.

CONCLUSION

Macroscopic complete cytoreduction is the most important prognostic factor. The addition of intraperitoneal chemotherapy for the treatment of peritoneal metastases of ovarian cancer showed promising results but so far it is not accepted as a part of a multimodal treatment concept.

Cytoreductive Surgery and Perioperative Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy in Recurrent Ovarian Cancer

Background and aims

Cytoreductive surgery with perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy is another approach for recurrent ovarian cancer. The purpose of the study was to assess the feasibility and the effect of cytoreduction and perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy in recurrent ovarian cancer.

Patients and methods

Twenty-nine women with recurrent ovarian cancer underwent cytoreductive surgery. Clinical variables were correlated to morbidity, hospital mortality, recurrences, and survival.

Results

Complete cytoreduction was possible in 58.6%. Extensive seeding of the small bowel and distant metastases excluded the possibility of performing complete cytoreduction. Perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy was given in 75.9%. Morbidity and hospital mortality rates were subsequently 24.1% and 3.4%. Recurrence was recorded in 48.3%. The extent of peritoneal dissemination was an independent variable of recurrence (P = 0.014). The 5-year survival rate was 30%. The extent of peritoneal dissemination and the completeness of cytoreduction were related to survival (P <05). The completeness of cytoreduction independently influenced survival (P = 0.013).

Conclusions

Secondary cytoreduction with intraperitoneal chemotherapy is feasible in most women with recurrent ovarian cancer with acceptable morbidity and mortality. Complete cytoreduction is not possible if distant and unresectable metastases are present or if the small bowel is extensively seeded. Long-term survivors are patients with limited peritoneal dissemination who may undergo complete cytoreduction.

Interval Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy in First-Line Treatment for Advanced Ovarian Carcinoma: A Feasibility Study

OBJECTIVES

We conducted a phase 2 trial to assess the feasibility of interval cytoreductive surgery (CS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) with cisplatin in patients with stage III and IV pleural ovarian carcinoma in first-line treatment with no macroscopic residual disease after surgery.

METHODS

Patients could be treated either with primary CS with HIPEC followed by 6 conventional cycles of chemotherapy or with 3 or 4 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy before CS with HIPEC and 3 postoperative chemotherapy cycles. Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy was performed with cisplatin (50 mg/m) for 60 minutes, only in case of complete cytoreduction.

RESULTS

Nineteen patients were included in the study, and they all underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy before CS. Sixteen patients underwent complete CS with HIPEC. There was no mortality, and morbidity of CS with HIPEC was acceptable. The HIPEC procedure did not prevent the administration of the standard first-line treatment. In the 16 patients who underwent CS with HIPEC, the outcomes were very good.

CONCLUSION

Our study shows an acceptable toxicity of adding HIPEC to the standard first-line treatment in patients with stage III ovarian carcinoma treated with interval CS. Further studies are needed to confirm the role of HIPEC in the treatment of ovarian carcinoma.

Current status and future prospects of hyperthermic intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) clinical trials in ovarian cancer

The natural history of advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer is one of clinical remission after surgery and platinum/taxane-based intravenous (IV) and/or intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy followed by early or late recurrence in the majority of patients. Prevention of progression and recurrence remains a major hurdle in the management of ovarian cancer. Recently, many investigators have evaluated the use of normothermic and hyperthermic intraoperative IP drug delivery as a management strategy. This is a narrative review of the current status of clinical trials of hyperthermic intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in ovarian cancer and the future directions for this treatment strategy. The existing studies on HIPEC in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer are mostly retrospective in nature, are heterogeneous with regards to combined inclusion of primary and recurrent disease and lack unbiased data. Until data are available from evidence-based trials, it is reasonable to conclude that surgical cytoreduction and HIPEC is a rational and interesting, though still investigative, approach in the management of epithelial ovarian cancer, whose use should be employed within prospective clinical trials.

1st Evidence-based Italian consensus conference on cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy for peritoneal carcinosis from ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer (OC) remains relatively rare, although it is among the top 4 causes of cancer death for women younger than 50. The aggressive nature of the disease and its often late diagnosis with peritoneal involvement have an impact on prognosis. The current scientific literature presents ambiguous or uncertain indications for management of peritoneal carcinosis (PC) from OC, both owing to the lack of sufficient scientific data and their heterogeneity or lack of consistency. Therefore, the Italian Society of Surgical Oncology (SICO), the Italian Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, the Italian Association of Hospital Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and the Italian Association of Medical Oncology conducted a multidisciplinary consensus conference (CC) on management of advanced OC presenting with PC during the SICO annual meeting in Naples, Italy, on September 10-11, 2015. An expert committee developed questions on diagnosis and staging work-up, indications, and procedural aspects for peritonectomy, systemic chemotherapy, and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy for PC from OC. These questions were provided to 6 invited speakers who answered with an evidence-based report. Each report was submitted to a jury panel, representative of Italian experts in the fields of surgical oncology, gynecology, and medical oncology. The jury panel revised the reports before and after the open discussion during the CC. This article is the final document containing the clinical evidence reports and statements, revised and approved by all the authors before submission.

Highly Specific and Sensitive Fluorescent Nanoprobes for Image-Guided Resection of Sub-Millimeter Peritoneal Tumors

A current challenge in the treatment of peritoneal carcinomatosis is the inability to detect, visualize, and resect small or microscopic tumors of pancreatic, ovarian, or mesothelial origin. In these diseases, the completeness of primary tumor resection is directly correlated with patient survival, and hence, identifying small sub-millimeter tumors (i.e., disseminated disease) is critical. Thus, new imaging techniques and probes are needed to improve cytoreductive surgery and patient outcomes. Highly fluorescent rhodamine-labeled expansile nanoparticles (HFR-eNPs) are described for use as a visual aid during cytoreductive surgery of pancreatic carcinomatosis. The covalent incorporation of rhodamine into ∼30 nm eNPs increases the fluorescent signal compared to free rhodamine, thereby affording a brighter and more effective probe than would be achieved by a single rhodamine molecule. Using the intraperitoneal route of administration, HFR-eNPs localize to regions of large (∼1 cm), sub-centimeter, and sub-millimeter intraperitoneal tumor in three different animal models, including pancreatic, mesothelioma, and ovarian carcinoma. Tumoral localization of the HFR-eNPs depends on both the material property (i.e., eNP polymer) as well as the surface chemistry (anionic surfactant vs PEGylated noncharged surfactant). In a rat model of pancreatic carcinomatosis, HFR-eNP identification of tumor is validated against gold-standard histopathological analysis to reveal that HFR-eNPs possess high specificity (99%) and sensitivity (92%) for tumors, in particular, sub-centimeter and microscopic sub-millimeter tumors, with an overall accuracy of 95%. Finally, as a proof-of-concept, HFR-eNPs are used to guide the resection of pancreatic tumors in a rat model of peritoneal carcinomatosis.

Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy and Cytoreductive Surgery in the Management of Peritoneal Carcinomatosis

BACKGROUND

Malignant peritoneal disease can lead to significant debility due to bowel obstructions, ascites, and cancer cachexia. Moreover, inadequate imaging techniques can lead to the suboptimal detection of disease, and the poor vascularity of tumors can lead to a poor response to systemic chemotherapy. However, combination cytoreductive surgery/hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a promising novel treatment for patients with this disease.

METHODS

The medical literature focusing on diagnostic updates and the management of peritoneal disease was reviewed. The application principles of HIPEC for use in peritoneal disease were also summarized.

RESULTS

Improvements in imaging and the application of laparoscopic techniques have significantly increased the rate of diagnosis of early peritoneal disease with consequently less morbid cytoreductive procedures. Appropriate patient selection based on prognostic scores along with complete cytoreduction can identify a cohort of patients likely to derive durable benefit from this combination treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Advances in diagnostic and therapeutic techniques, including surgical cytoreductive techniques, have demonstrated significant survival gains in patients with peritoneal disease. Although HIPEC can be used for the management of various types of histologies, further development of high-level evidence is necessary to advance the field.

Effect of intraperitoneal cetuximab administration on colonic anastomosis and early postoperative adhesion formation in a rat model

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to evaluate the effect of intraperitoneal cetuximab administration on the healing of anastomosis and development of early adhesion formation in a rat model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty-four female rats were used. A colon segment was resected and end-to-end anastomosis was performed. The rats were randomized into three groups after the performance of colonic anastomosis and received 10 mL of intraperitoneal solution including study drugs after closure of abdominal cavity: normal saline was administered to the normal saline group (n=8), cetuximab (400 mg/m(2)) was administered to the postoperative 1 group (n=8) 1 day after surgery, and cetuximab (400 mg/m(2)) was administered to the peroperative group (n=8) during surgery.

RESULTS

The mean adhesion grade was 2.63±0.92, and 0.50±0.76 and 0.63±0.74 for control and test groups, respectively. Cetuximab reduced adhesion formation in test groups (p<0.05). When all groups were compared, it was found that vascular endothelial growth factor levels decreased significantly only in the abdomen (p<0.05). Hydroxyproline levels and anastomosis bursting pressure were examined, and a statistical difference was found between groups (hydroxyproline p<0.05, bursting pressure p<0.05). However, when postoperative 1 day group was compared with the control group, it was found that there was no difference between groups according to these parameters (p>0.05), but when peroperative group was compared with the control group a significant decrease was observed in both parameters. Histopathological healing score was also evaluated. No statistical difference between groups was found.

CONCLUSION

Twenty-four hours later from the operation, intraperitoneal cetuximab therapy may be a safe and feasible treatment for metastatic colorectal patients.

Heated IntraPEritoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) for Patients With Recurrent Ovarian Cancer: A Systematic Literature Review

Background

Despite advances in surgical oncology, most patients with primary ovarian cancer develop a recurrence that is associated with a poor prognosis. The aim of this review was to establish the impact of Heated IntraPEritoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) in the overall survival of patients with recurrent ovarian cancer.

Methods

A search of PubMed/MEDLINE databases was performed in February 2015 using the terms “recurrent ovarian cancer,” “cytoreductive surgery/cytoreduction,” and “heated/hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.” Only English articles with available abstracts assessing the impact of HIPEC in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer were examined. The primary outcome measure was overall survival, whereas secondary outcomes included disease-free survival and HIPEC-related morbidity.

Results

Sixteen studies with 1168 patients were analyzed. Most studies were Level IV, with 4 studies graded as Level III and 1 Level II. Cisplatin was the main chemotherapeutic agent used, but variations were observed in the actual technique, temperature of perfusate, and duration of treatment. In patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC, the overall survival ranged between 26.7 and 35 months, with disease-free survival varying between 8.5 and 48 months. Heated IntraPEritoneal Chemotherapy seems to confer survival benefits to patients with recurrent disease, with a randomized controlled study reporting that the overall survival is doubled when cytoreductive surgery is compared with cytoreductive surgery and chemotherapy (13. 4 vs 26.7 months). Heated IntraPEritoneal Chemotherapy–related morbidity ranged between 13.6% and 100%, but it was mainly minor and not significantly different from that experienced by patients who only underwent cytoreduction.

Conclusions

Cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC seem to be associated with promising results in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. Large international prospective studies are required to further quantify the true efficacy of HIPEC and identify the optimal treatment protocol for a maximum survival benefit.

The role of Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) in Ovarian Cancer: A Review

Ovarian cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer related deaths in women worldwide. It is usually diagnosed in an advanced stage (Stages III and IV) when peritoneal cancer spread has already occurred. The standard treatment comprises of surgery to remove all macroscopic disease followed by systemic chemotherapy. Despite all efforts, it recurs in over 75 % of the cases, most of these recurrences being confined to the peritoneal cavity. Recurrent ovarian cancer has a poor long term outcome and is generally treated with multiple lines of systemic chemotherapy and targeted therapy. The propensity of ovarian cancer to remain confined to the peritoneal cavity warrants an aggressive locoregional approach. The combined treatment comprising of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) that removes all macroscopic disease and HIPEC (Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy) has been effective in providing long term survival in selected patients with peritoneal metastases of gastrointestinal origin. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy used as adjuvant therapy has shown a survival benefit in ovarian cancer. This has prompted the use of CRS and HIPEC in the management of ovarian cancer as a part of first line therapy and second line therapy for recurrent disease. This article reviews the current literature and evidence for the use of HIPEC in ovarian cancer.

Evaluation of oxaliplatin exposure of healthcare workers during heated intraperitoneal perioperative chemotherapy (HIPEC)

The aim of this study was to evaluate air and surface contaminations, and internal contamination of healthcare workers during open-abdomen HIPEC using oxaliplatin. Platinum (Pt) was measured in urine of exposed workers and in multiple air and surface samples. Three successive HIPEC procedures were investigated in each of the two hospitals participating in the study. Analysis of air samples did not detect any oxaliplatin contamination. Heavy contamination of the operating table, the floor at the surgeon's feet, and the surgeon's overshoes were observed. Hand contamination was observed in surgeons using double gloves for intra-abdominal chemotherapy administration, but not in those using three sets of gloves. Pt was not detected in urine samples obtained after HIPEC (<5 ng/L). The main risk of HIPEC is related to direct or indirect skin exposure and can be prevented by correct use of adapted protective equipment.

Intraperitoneal chemotherapy from Armstrong to HIPEC: challenges and promise

OPINION

The treatment of advanced stage ovarian, primary peritoneal and fallopian tube cancer represents a therapeutic challenge as evidenced by the 70 %-80 % recurrence rate. Our understanding of the synergy between surgical cytoreduction and effective systemic chemotherapy continues to evolve, with research supporting maximal cytoreductive effort followed by intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Specifically, analysis of phase III clinical trials has shown a median survival of 110 months in those treated with intraperitoneal chemotherapy, when surgery results in no visible residual disease. Additionally, incorporation of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy at the time of surgical resection has gained attention as an alternate therapeutic option, in an attempt to obviate toxicities encountered with repetitive cycles of intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Currently, surgical cytoreduction in the hands of an experienced gynecologic oncologist, followed by intraperitoneal chemotherapy is thought to portend the greatest survival benefit in patients with advanced stage ovarian cancer spectrum cancers. Additional investigation regarding the oncologic outcomes and morbidity of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy is warranted.

Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer remains the fourth leading cause of cancer death in women in France. It is all too often diagnosed at an advanced stage with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC), but remains confined to the peritoneal cavity throughout much of its natural history. Because of cellular selection pressure over time, most tumor recurrences eventually develop resistance to systemic platinum. Options for salvage therapy include alternative systemic chemotherapies and further cytoreductive surgery (CRS), but the prognosis remains poor. Over the past two decades, a new therapeutic approach to PC has been developed that combines CRS with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). This treatment strategy has already been shown to be effective in non-gynecologic carcinomatosis in numerous reports. There is a strong rationale for the use of HIPEC for PC of ovarian origin. On the one hand, three prospective randomized trials have demonstrated the superiority of intraperitoneal chemotherapy (without hyperthermia) in selected patients compared to systemic chemotherapy. Moreover, retrospective studies and case-control studies of HIPEC have reported encouraging survival data, especially when used to treat chemoresistant recurrence. However, HIPEC has specific morbidity and mortality; this calls for very careful selection of eligible patients by a multidisciplinary team in specialized centers. HIPEC needs to be evaluated by means of randomized trials for ovarian cancer at different developmental stages: as first line therapy, as consolidation, and for chemoresistant recurrence. Several European phase III studies are currently ongoing.

Loco-regional cancer drug therapy: present approaches and rapidly reversible hydrophobization (RRH) of therapeutic agents as the future direction

Insufficient drug uptake by solid tumors remains the major problem for systemic chemotherapy. Many studies have demonstrated anticancer drug effects to be dose-dependent, although dose-escalation studies have resulted in limited survival benefit with increased systemic toxicities. One solution to this has been the idea of loco-regional drug treatments, which offer dramatically higher drug concentrations in tumor tissues while minimizing systemic toxicity. Although loco-regional delivery has been most prominent in cancers of the liver, soft tissues and serosal peritoneal malignancies, survival benefits are very far from desirable. This review discusses the evolution of loco-regional treatments, the present approaches and offers rapidly reversible hydrophobization of drugs as the new future direction.

HIPEC ROC I: a phase I study of cisplatin administered as hyperthermic intraoperative intraperitoneal chemoperfusion followed by postoperative intravenous platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer

This phase I study tested the safety, feasibility, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of cisplatin administered as hyperthermic intraoperative intraperitoneal chemoperfusion (HIPEC) in patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) undergoing secondary cytoreductive surgery followed by postoperative platinum-based intravenous chemotherapy. Twelve patients with operable, recurrent platinum-sensitive EOC (recurrence ≥6 months after first-line therapy) were included according to the classical 3+3 dose-escalation design at three dose levels-60, 80 and 100 mg/m(2). After surgical cytoreduction, a single dose of cisplatin was administered via HIPEC for 90 min at 41-43°C. Postoperatively, all patients were treated with standard intravenous platinum-based combination chemotherapy. One of six patients experienced a dose-limiting toxicity (grade 3 renal toxicity) at a dose of 100 mg/m(2). The remaining five patients treated with 100 mg/m(2) tolerated their treatment well. The recommended phase II dose was established at 100 mg/m(2). The mean peritoneal-to-plasma AUC ratio was 19·5 at the highest dose level. Cisplatin-induced DNA adducts were confirmed in tumor samples. Common postoperative grade 1-3 toxicities included fatigue, postoperative pain, nausea, and surgical site infection. The ability to administer standard intravenous platinum-based chemotherapy after HIPEC was uncompromised. Cisplatin administered as HIPEC at a dose of 100 mg/m(2) has an acceptable safety profile in selected patients undergoing secondary cytoreductive surgery for platinum-sensitive recurrent EOC. Favorable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of HIPEC with cisplatin were confirmed at all dose levels, especially at 100 mg/m(2). The results are encouraging to determine the efficacy of HIPEC as a complementary treatment in patients with EOC.

Cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer with peritoneal metastases: a single centre experience

BACKGROUND

This investigation aims to assess morbidity, mortality and postoperative outcomes of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer (REOC) with peritoneal metastases (PM).

METHODS

Consecutive patients with radiographic evidence of REOC with PM were scheduled for CRS and HIPEC at the Comprehensive Cancer Center, University Hospital Tübingen, Germany. Clinical data were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS

In total, 90 patients were analyzed. Complete cytoreduction and HIPEC could be performed in 69 % of patients. When categorizing patients with respect to the completeness of cytoreduction (CC-0/1 vs CC-2/3), there was no difference considering baseline demographic characteristics. Cumulative morbidity was 42 %. Morbidity rates did not statistically differ between CC-0/1 patients with HIPEC and CC-2/3 patients without HIPEC. No surgery-related and 90-day postoperative mortality was observed. In CC-0/1 patients, median overall survival was 35 months as opposed to 14 months in CC-2/3 patients. There was no difference in survival with respect to the peritoneal carcinomatosis index (PCI) as long as complete cytoreduction could be achieved.

CONCLUSIONS

CRS and HIPEC can be performed with acceptable morbidity and low mortality in specialized centres. Our data do not suggest that HIPEC necessarily increases the risk of postoperative adverse events.

Cytoreductive Surgery for Advanced Ovarian Cancer

The amount of the largest diameter of visible residual tumor after cytoreductive surgery remains one of the strongest prognostic factors In advanced ovarian cancer. The Implementation of a more aggressive surgical approach to Increase the proportion of patients without visible residual tumor Is, therefore, a rational concept. Thus, the surgical management of advanced ovarian, primary peritoneal and fallopian tube cancers now Incorporates more comprehensive surgical procedures. However, these more extensive surgical procedures are associated with an Increased risk of morbidity, which may have a negative Impact on the oncologic outcome. In addition, It Is unclear whether all patients benefit from a comprehensive surgical Intervention In the same way or If there are patients whose disease course will not be Influenced by this approach. The methodologic analysis of surgical effectiveness Is complex and controversial owing to a lack of prospective surgical trials. This review acknowledges controversies and alms to discuss novel developments In the field of cytoreductive surgery for patients with ovarian, primary peritoneal and fallopian tube cancers. The focus of the review Is to discuss the role of surgery at Initial diagnosis. The role of secondary and tertiary surgery In the recurrent setting Is beyond the scope of this review.

Security and efficiency of a closed-system, turbulent-flow circuit for hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy after cytoreductive ovarian surgery: perioperative outputs

OBJECTIVE

To present physiologic intraoperative data and immediate postoperative outcomes of patients diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer submitted to cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic peritoneal intraoperative chemotherapy (HIPEC) with a closed-circuit, turbulent-flow system.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A closed-circuit system with CO2 turbulent flow was used for paclitaxel HIPEC during 60 min for patients diagnosed with stage II or higher and recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer. Perioperative hemodynamic and metabolic statuses were followed, as well as physiologic recovery during the first 12 postoperative hours. A non-parametric statistical analysis was performed.

RESULTS

At the end of the hyperthermia phase, temperature was 37.7 ± 0.6 °C, heart rate 88 ± 19 bpm, cardiac index 2.8 ± 0.5 L min(-1) m(-2), stroke volume variation 14.6 ± 3.6 % and extravascular lung water 8.7 ± 1.9 mL kg(-1). No hyperdynamic status was recorded. The length of stay in the ICU was 2½ days, and 12.7 ± 7 days in hospital. Average postoperative intubation time was 11.7 ± 17.4 h. At the ICU admission time, glucose, lactic acid and hemoglobin were the only values out of range, but close to normal. SOFA median was 3 at admission and 0 the following day.

CONCLUSION

A turbulent-flow, closed-circuit use for hyperthermic peritoneal intraoperative chemotherapy resulted in no hyperdynamic response or coagulopathy, had good tolerance and promoted early physiologic recovery.

Cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer

AIM: To reduce postoperative complications and to make possible an optimal cytoreduction, neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by interval debulking surgery has been applied with encouraging results.

METHODS: Between December 2009 and February 2012, patients with stage IIIC-IV epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) underwent diagnostic laparoscopy, to assess the feasibility of optimal debulking surgery. The modified Fagotti score was applied to assess the feasibility of resection with zero residual tumor. Patients who were not candidate for upfront debulking surgery were submitted to NACT, then reassessed according to the RECIST 1.1 criteria and submitted to cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) if they showed clinical response or stable disease. The remaining cycles of adjuvant systemic chemotherapy (ASCT) were administered postoperatively, to complete 6 cycles of systemic chemotherapy.

RESULTS: Nine patients were included. Clinical response to NACT was complete in 3 patients and partial in 5 patients; one patient had stable disease. All patients underwent CRS resulting in CC0 disease prior to HIPEC. Average operative time was 510 min. Average intensive care unit stay was 2 d. Average postoperative hospital stay was 25 d. No postoperative mortality was observed. One patient experienced pelvic abscess. One patient refused ASCT. The remaining 8 patients started ASCT. Average time to chemotherapy was 36 d. All patients are alive, with an average follow up of 11 mo. Eight patients are disease-free at follow up.

CONCLUSION: HIPEC after CRS for advanced EOC is feasible with acceptable morbidity and mortality. NACT may increase the chance for achieving complete cytoreduction. Phase 3 studies are needed to determine the effects of HIPEC on survival.

Cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in epithelial ovarian cancer: State of the art

Advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is difficult to treat with low overall cure rates. A new strategy combining maximal cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with intra-operative hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has been proposed to treat advanced stage EOC in the primary setting. Numerous small, heterogeneous studies have been conducted exploring outcomes in patients with predominantly advanced, recurrent or refractory disease treated with CRS + HIPEC. Although morbidity rates approaching 35% have been reported, oncologic outcomes are promising. Incorporation of HIPEC for the treatment of primary EOC has continued to gain interest. Several prospective phase 2 clinical trials were recently completed evaluating the impact of CRS + HIPEC in the primary setting. This article will briefly discuss the benefits of optimal surgical cytoreduction and the theoretical basis of intraperitoneal chemotherapy in patients with advanced stage EOC, and will then review existing literature describing oncologic outcomes in EOC patients treated with HIPEC in the primary setting.

Morbidity and mortality outcomes of cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in patients with primary and recurrent advanced ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to report the perioperative outcomes of CRS and HIPEC from a single institution and review those factors that are associated with a poor perioperative outcome in patients with peritoneal dissemination from primary or recurrent ovarian cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHOD

A retrospective cohort study setting was conducted in a third level hospital peritoneal surface malignancy program. Ninety one patients diagnosed with ovarian peritoneal carcinomatosis, primary and recurrent without extraperitoneal metastasis were included for cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC with paclitaxel. We analyzed the postoperative morbidity rates and a univariate and multivariate analysis of factors associated with overall (grade I-IV) and major (grade III-IV) postoperative morbidity were performed.

RESULTS

Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI) upper than 12 (OR = 2.942 95%: 1.892-9.594 p = 0.044) was an independent factor associated with the occurrence of I-IV postoperative morbidity. Regarding major complications (grade III-IV), on multivariate analysis, in addition to PCI >12 (OR = 6.692, 95% CI: 1974-45, 674, p = 0.032), the need to carry out intestinal resection (OR = 4.987, 95% CI: 1350-27, 620, p = 0.046) was an independent factor related with major morbidity (grade III-IV).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of HIPEC after aggressive cytoreductive surgery in patients with ovarian cancer with peritoneal dissemination can be performed with acceptable postoperative morbidity rates. Knowledge of the factors associated with the onset of these postoperative adverse events allows better management of the same and offers the patient a safe procedure.

Treatment of peritoneal carcinomatosis from breast cancer by maximal cytoreduction and HIPEC: a preliminary report on 5 cases

Although peritoneal carcinomatosis from breast cancer is a rare event it frequently causes morbidity and mortality. Current literature provides scarce information on its management. We report outcomes in 5 patients (mean age 59.4 years) with peritoneal carcinomatosis from breast cancer treated with maximal cytoreduction and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) by the closed technique, at 40 °C for 1 h with cisplatin 75 mg/m(2). The primary breast cancer was a ductal carcinoma in 3 patients and a lobular carcinoma in 2. Mean peritoneal cancer index was 20.2. In 4 of the 5 patients surgery achieved macroscopic complete cytoreduction. One patient died of disease at 56 months, 4 are alive and disease-free at 13, 45, 74 and 128 months. These encouraging outcomes suggest that cytoreduction and HIPEC is a promising approach to offer to highly selected patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis from breast cancer and that this approach merit investigation in a larger series.

Effects of Intraperitoneal Bevacizumab Administration on Colonic Anastomosis and Early Postoperative Adhesion Formation

Aim. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of intraperitoneal (IP) bevacizumab on colonic anastomosis and evaluate the effects on early postoperative adhesion formation. Materials and Methods. A total of 24 mature female Sprague-Dawley rats were used for this study. Rats were randomly assigned to a control group that received saline (n = 8) or to experimental groups (n = 8 each) that received bevacizumab at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg (group 1) or 5 mg/kg (group 2). Animals were killed humanely on the seventh day after operation, and measurements of anastomotic strength and biochemical variables were performed. Results. The mean adhesion grade was 2.63 ± 0.92, and 1 ± 0.93 and 0.75 ± 0.71 for the control and test groups, respectively. Bevacizumab significantly reduced adhesion formation in both low-dose and high-dose IP applications ( P < .05). When all groups were compared, it was found that VEGF levels decreased significantly only in the tissue ( P = .001), whereas there was no significant difference in the blood and the IP fluid ( P = .73 and .08, respectively). We evaluated hydroxyproline levels, anastomosis bursting pressure, and histopathological healing scores. When each of these parameters were examined, there was statistical difference between groups ( P = .01, .004, and .01, respectively). It was found that these parameters significantly decreased depending on increasing drug dose. Conclusion. IP administration of bevacizumab effectively reduced the formation of adhesions and caused significant impairment of anastomotic wound healing when standard doses were administered (5 mg/kg), but the 2.5-mg/kg dosage did not affect the anastomotic wound healing and also effectively reduced the formation of adhesions.

Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in ovarian cancer: rationale and clinical data

The outcome of ovarian cancer remains poor with conventional therapy. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy has some advantages over systemic chemotherapy, including favorable pharmacokinetics and optimal treatment timing. Intraoperative hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) provides improved exposure of the entire seroperitoneal surface to the agent and utilizes the direct cytoxic and drug-enhancing effect of hyperthermia. While standard normothermic, nonintraoperative, intraperitoneal chemotherapy has been demonstrated to be beneficial in randomized trials and meta-analyses, there are no data from randomized HIPEC trials available yet. Cautious extrapolation of data from standard normothermic, nonintraoperative, intraperitoneal chemotherapy and data from Phase II and nonrandomized comparative studies suggest that HIPEC delivered at the time of surgery for ovarian cancer has definite potential. Data from ongoing randomized HIPEC trials to adequately answer the question of whether the addition of HIPEC actually prolongs survival in patients with peritoneal dissemination of primary and recurrent ovarian cancer are awaited in the near future.

Progression following neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy may not be a contraindication to a curative approach for colorectal carcinomatosis

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the influence of neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy on patients with colorectal carcinomatosis before a curative procedure.

BACKGROUND

Peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) from colorectal cancer may be treated with a curative intent by cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). The role of perioperative systemic chemotherapy for this particular metastatic disease remains unclear.

METHODS

One hundred twenty patients with PC from colorectal cancer were consecutively treated by 131 procedures combining CRS with HIPEC. The response to neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy was assessed on data from previous explorative surgery and/or radiological imaging.

RESULTS

Ninety patients (75%) were treated with neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy in whom 32 (36%) were considered to have responded, 19 (21%) had stable disease, and 19 (21%) developed diseases progression. Response could not be evaluated in 20 patients (22%). On univariate analysis, the use of neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy had a significant positive prognostic influence (P = 0.042). On multivariate analysis, the completeness of CRS and the use of adjuvant systemic chemotherapy were the only significant prognostic factors (P < 0.001 and P = 0.049, respectively). Response to neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy had no significant prognostic impact with median survival of 31.4 months in patients showing disease progression.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with PC from colorectal cancer without extraperitoneal metastases, failure of neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy should not constitute an absolute contraindication to a curative procedure combining CRS and HIPEC.

Current status and future directions of cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in the treatment of ovarian cancer

Epithelial ovarian cancer is a peritoneal surface malignancy that most often presents with spread of disease within the peritoneal cavity. Overall 5-year survival is around 50% and progress in improving outcomes is slow. Among other areas of research, hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) provides a promising option. This article reviews the current status of treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer, experience with HIPEC to date, and future directions.

Secondary cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy for recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer: a multi-institutional study

OBJECTIVE

To assess the efficacy and morbidity and mortality of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC).

DESIGN

A retrospective study conducted using information extracted from a multi-institutional prospective database on peritoneal surface malignancies (PSMs). Setting Four Italian centres specializing in locoregional treatment of PSM.

POPULATION

Patients with recurrent EOC.

METHODS

Fifty-six patients underwent 57 combined procedures. CRS was performed using peritonectomy procedures and HIPEC using the closed-abdomen technique with cisplatin and doxorubicin or cisplatin and mitomycin-C.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), morbidity and mortality rates.

RESULTS

The median age of the patients was 55.2 years (range 30-75 years). The median peritoneal cancer index was 15.2 (range 4-30). Forty-seven patients had microscopic residual disease (completeness of cytoreduction, CC-0), seven had residual disease ≤2.5 mm (CC-1) and one had residual disease >2.5 mm (CC>2). Major complications occurred in 15 patients (26.3%), and procedure-related mortality occurred in three patients (5.3%). The median follow-up time was 23.1 months. The median OS and PFS were 25.7 (95% CI 20.3-31.0) and 10.8 (95% CI 5.4-16.2) months, respectively. The 5-year OS and PFS were 23% and 7%, respectively. Independent prognostic factors affecting OS according to the multivariate analysis were Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, preoperative serum albumin, and completeness of cytoreduction.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with recurrent EOC treated with CRS and HIPEC showed promising results in terms of outcome. The combined treatment strategy could benefit subsets of patients wider than that defined for conventional secondary debulking surgery without HIPEC. These data warrant further evaluation in randomised clinical trials.

Cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for persistent and recurrent advanced ovarian carcinoma: a multicenter, prospective study of 246 patients

BACKGROUND

Epithelial ovarian carcinoma is the main cause of death from gynaecological cancers in the western world. The initial response rate to the frontline therapy is high. However, the prognosis of persistent and recurrent disease remains poor. During the two past decades, a new therapeutic approach to peritoneal carcinomatosis has been developed, combining maximal cytoreductive effort with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC).

METHODS

A retrospective, multicentric study of 246 patients with recurrent or persistent ovarian cancer, treated by cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC in two French centers between 1991 and 2008, was performed.

RESULTS

An optimal cytoreductive surgery was possible in 92.2 % of patients. Mortality and morbidity rates were 0.37 % and 11.6 %, respectively. The overall median survival was 48.9 months. There was no significant difference in overall survival in patients with persistent or recurrent disease. In multivariate analysis, performance status was a significant prognostic factor in patients with extensive peritoneal carcinomatosis (peritoneal cancer index >10).

CONCLUSIONS

Salvage therapy combining optimal cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC is feasible and may achieve long-term survival in highly selected patients with recurrent ovarian carcinoma, including those with platinum resistant disease, with acceptable morbidity.

Does hyperthermic intraoperative chemotherapy lead to improved outcomes in patients with ovarian cancer? A single center cohort study in 111 consecutive patients

Background

For recurrent disease or primary therapy of advanced ovarian cancer, cytoreductive surgery (CRS) followed by adjuvant chemotherapy is a therapeutic option. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome for patients with epithelial ovarian cancer treated with hyperthermic intraoperative chemotherapy (HIPEC) and completeness of cytoreduction (CC).

Methods

Data were retrospectively collected from 111 patients with recurrent or primary ovarian cancer operated with the contribution of visceral surgical oncologists between 1991 and 2006 in a tertiary referral hospital.

Results

Ninety patients received CRS and 21 patients CRS plus HIPEC with cisplatin. Patients with complete cytoreduction (CC0) were more likely to receive HIPEC. Overall, 19 of 21 patients (90.5 %) with HIPEC and 33 of 90 patients (36.7 %) with CRS had a complete cytoreduction (P < 0.001). Incomplete cytoreduction was associated with worse survival rates with a hazard ratio (HR) of 4.4 (95%CI: 2.3-8.4) for CC1/2 and 6.0 (95%CI: 2.9-12.3) for CC3 (P < 0.001). In a Cox-regression limited to 52 patients with CC0 a systemic concomitant chemotherapy (HR 0.3, 95%CI: 0.1-0.96, P = 0.046) but not HIPEC (HR 0.98 with 95 % CI 0.32 to 2.97, P = 0.967) improved survival. Two patients (9.5 %) developed severe renal failure after HIPEC with absolute cisplatin dosages of 90 and 95 mg.

Conclusions

Completeness of cytoreduction was proved to be crucial for long-term outcome. HIPEC procedures in ovarian cancer should be performed in clinical trials to compare CRS, HIPEC and systemic chemotherapy against CRS with systemic chemotherapy. Concerning the safety of HIPEC with cisplatin, the risk of persistent renal failure must be considered when dosage is based on body surface.

Cytoreductive surgery combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal intraoperative chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer

Background/Aims. Intraperitoneal intraoperative hyperthermic chemotherapy (HIPEC) has been used in the treatment of ovarian cancer. The purpose of the study is to determine the efficacy of HIPEC after cytoreductive surgery in advanced ovarian cancer. Patients/Methods. From 2006 to 2010 patients with advanced ovarian cancer were enrolled in a prospective nonrandomized study to undergo cytoreductive surgery combined with HIPEC. Clinical and histopathological variables were correlated to hospital mortality, morbidity, survival, and recurrences. Results. The mean age of 43 women was 59.9 ± 13.8 (16-82) years. The hospital mortality and morbidity rate were 4.7% and 51.2%, respectively. Complete cytoreduction was possible in 69.8%. The overall 5-year survival rate was 54%. The prognostic indicators of survival were the extent of prior surgery (P = 0.048) and the extent of peritoneal dissemination (P = 0.011). The recurrence rate was 30.2%. Conclusions. Maximal cytoreductive surgery combined with HIPEC is a well-tolerated, feasible, and promising method of treatment in advanced ovarian cancer.

Cyto-reductive Surgery combined with Hyperthermic Intra-peritoneal Chemotherapy for Peritoneal Surface Malignancies: current treatment and results

Cyto-reductive Surgery (CS) combined with Hyperthermic Intra-peritoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) as loco-regional treatment of Peritoneal Surface Malignancies (PSM) has increasingly gained acceptance in clinical practice. This review summarizes the more relevant studies on this topic. Indications, pre-operative work-up, technical aspects, outcome and future directions of this combined approach in the treatment of Peritoneal Surface Malignancies are discussed here and proposed in an informative and didactic manner.

Peritoneal carcinosis of ovarian origin

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the second most common genital malignancy in women and is the most lethal gynecological malignancy, with an estimated five-year survival rate of 39%. Despite efforts to develop an effective ovarian cancer screening method, 60% of patients still present with advanced disease. Comprehensive management using surgical cytoreduction to decrease the tumor load to a minimum, and intraperitoneal chemotherapy to eliminate microscopic disease on peritoneal surface, has the potential to greatly improve quality of life and to have an impact on survival in ovarian cancer patients. Despite achieving clinical remission after completion of initial treatment, most patients (60%) with advanced EOC will ultimately develop recurrent disease or show drug resistance; the eventual rate of curability is less than 30%. Given the poor outcome of women with advanced EOC, it is imperative to continue to explore novel therapies.

Cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy as upfront therapy for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer: multi-institutional phase-II trial

OBJECTIVE

The primary end-point of this multi-institutional phase-II trial was to assess results in terms of overall survival after cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in treatment-naive epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) with advanced peritoneal involvement. Secondary end-points were treatment morbi-mortality and outcome effects of time to subsequent adjuvant systemic chemotherapy (TTC).

METHODS

Twenty-six women with stage III-IV EOC were prospectively enrolled in 4 Italian centers to undergo CRS and closed-abdomen HIPEC with cisplatin and doxorubicin. Then they received systemic chemotherapy with carboplatin (AUC 6) and paclitaxel (175 mg/m(2)) for 6 cycles.

RESULTS

Macroscopically complete cytoreduction was achieved in 15 patients; only minimal residual disease (≤2.5 mm) remained in 11. Major complications occurred in four patients and postoperative death in one. After a median follow-up of 25 months, 5-year overall survival was 60.7% and 5-year progression-free survival 15.2% (median 30 months). Excluding operative death, all the patients underwent systemic chemotherapy at a median of 46 days from combined treatment (range: 29-75). The median number of cycles per patient was 6 (range: 1-8). The time to chemotherapy did not affect the OS or PFS.

CONCLUSIONS

In selected patients with advanced stage EOC, upfront CRS and HIPEC provided promising results in terms of outcome. Morbidity was comparable to aggressive cytoreduction without HIPEC. Postoperative recovery delayed the initiation of adjuvant systemic chemotherapy but not sufficiently to impact negatively on survival. These data warrant further evaluation in a randomized clinical trial.

Reappraisal of the role of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in the management of ovarian cancer: a single institutional experience

The peritoneal carcinomatosis of ovarian cancer led to the development of optimal cytoreduction surgery completed by hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). The main goal of this study is to evaluate the feasibility, tolerance and efficacy of this technique in patients with ovarian cancer. A retrospective monocentric study has evaluated 43 patients with HIPEC procedures from 1995 to 2009. After a complete cytoreduction surgery, a HIPEC procedure with cisplatin is performed. Data on complications and survival parameters were collected. Prognostic factors were also analyzed. Post-surgery complications included one death due to a septic shock (2.3%) and six patients have presented major complications (13.9%). The median of overall survival and progression free survival were 53.6 and 39 months, respectively. Patients with a primary complete surgical cytoreduction of the peritoneal carcinomatosis presented overall survival length of 131 months versus 84 months without initial complete resection (P < 0.0001). Surgical cytoreduction combined with HIPEC is a feasible procedure with acceptable morbid-mortality rates. The initial complete resection of the peritoneal carcinomatosis significantly increases survival and represents a strong prognostic factor.