Offering treatment for cancers that have spread within the abdominal cavity.

Cytoreductive surgery is a procedure used to remove all visible tumors on the peritoneum or the thin membrane lining the abdominal and pelvic cavities. Time of the operation depends on the patient's condition with the average length between 8 to 10 hours and more extensive tumors requiring up to 20 hours of surgery.

Heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is chemotherapy delivered directly into the abdominal cavity at the same time as tumor removal. The chemotherapy solution is heated to 109 degrees Fahrenheit, which causes the tumor cell membrane to become more permeable to the chemotherapy drugs, resulting in a greater likelihood of killing the tumor cells.

Through this elite treatment method, Sharp has drastically improved the length of survival — in some cases by three to five times the average — in patients suffering from recurrent and metastatic cancer spread to the abdomen. This procedure is specifically designed for primary and recurrent ovarian cancer, appendiceal cancer and other types of widely spread gastrointestinal cancers.

Types of tumors treated.

HIPEC can be used to treat tumors that have spread within the abdominal cavity. These tumors include cancers originating from the:

• Appendix
• Colon
• Mesothelioma
• Ovary
• Peritoneum
• Rectum
• Sarcoma
• Stomach

What to expect with HIPEC treatment.

• The HIPEC procedure, performed at the same time as the cytoreductive surgery, will take between 60 to 90 minutes.
• After your surgery, you can expect to stay in the intensive care unit from one to three days — depending on the length and extent of your surgery — before transferring to the oncology unit, where you will be cared for by our experienced nurses.
• Follow-up visits include meeting with your provider four to six weeks after your hospital discharge, blood tumor markers every three months and a physical exam and MRI every six months

Cytoreductive surgery and heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy are currently offered at Sharp Memorial Hospital. To learn more, please call 858-637-7888.