HIPEC

Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a type of chemotherapy where the solution containing the drug is heated and delivered directly to the abdominal cavity during surgery. The term “Intraperitoneal” means that the treatment is delivered to the abdominal cavity. The term “Hyperthermic Chemotherapy” means that the solution containing chemotherapy is heated to a temperature greater than normal body temperature.

 

While conventional chemotherapy circulates throughout the body in the bloodstream, HIPEC delivers chemotherapy directly to the cancer cells within the peritoneum (the lining of the abdomen). This increases the efficacy of chemo because the cells are subjected to higher doses of chemotherapy and the heated solution also improves the absorption of the drug by the tumor cells and destroys microscopic cancer cells that remain in the abdomen after surgery.

 

Before patients receive HIPEC treatment, the surgeons perform surgery to reduce or debulk, the size of a tumor within the abdomen. When the maximum number of tumors possible have been removed, a heated, sterilized chemotherapy solution is delivered to the abdomen to penetrate and destroy the remaining cancer cells. The solution is heated to the temperature of a warm bath approximately up to 41-42 degrees Celsius [between 105 and 109 F]. It is circulated throughout the abdomen for approximately 90 minutes. The solution is then drained from the abdomen, and the incision is closed.

 

This is a treatment option for people who have an advanced spread of cancer within the abdomen, but no cancer outside the abdomen

 

The entire procedure, on the whole, is a major surgical undertaking and the surgery takes place over a time period of 5 to 8 hours.

 

Team to perform :

 

Prof S Rajasundaram and the team at Gleneagles Global Cancer Centre, A Unit of IHH Healthcare in Chennai, India are the pioneers in performing HIPEC in India.

 

The team has completed more than 100 HIPEC procedures with no mortality and minimal morbidity.

 

Indications: HIPEC is indicated in a variety of tumors with Peritoneal metastasis such as:

 

• Ovarian Cancer
• Colon Cancer
• Appendicular Cancer
• Gastric Cancer
• Primary Peritoneal Cancer
• Peritoneal mesothelioma

 

BENEFITS OF HIPEC

• It is delivered directly to the abdomen during surgery
• Allows for high doses of chemotherapy which kills the tumor cells
• Enhances and concentrates chemotherapy within the abdomen
• Minimizes the rest of the body’s exposure to the chemotherapy
  • Improves chemotherapy absorption and successss
  • Heated chemotherapy improves the blood supply into the abdominal tissues and improves penetration of the chemotherapeutic drug into the cancer cells which allows the drug to be effective in killing the cancer cells.
  • Complete cyto-resection of all cancer-affected regions

 

Best result to 100% success rate to date