Search

Background: Pseudomyxoma peritonei is a disease that results from a perforated mucinous neoplasm of the appendix so that mucinous ascites and mucin-producing tumor cells are widely disseminated in a characteristic pattern throughout the abdomen and pelvis. The intraabdominal mucus can accumulate in the inguinal canal and by physical examination be indistinguishable from the usual inguinal hernia., Methods: A database of patients with pseudomyxoma peritonei was used to identify patients who had an inguinal hernia prior to or at the time of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and perioperative hyperthermic chemotherapy (HIPEC). At the time of CRS, care was taken in all patients to remove the peritoneal lining of the inguinal canal. Patients who had the inguinal hernia repaired prior to definitive treatment with CRS and HIPEC had all tissue and mesh associated with prior herniorrhaphy resected., Results: In 178 pseudomyxoma peritonei patients, 17 had a new onset or previously repaired inguinal hernia that required extraction of mucus and mucinous tumor from the hernia site. No repair of the open inguinal canal was attempted at the time of CRS. No recurrent inguinal hernias were recorded and no patients required an inguinal incision at a later time to resect progressive disease within the inguinal canal., Conclusions: Inguinal hernias caused by mucinous ascites and tumor were definitively treated by cytoreductive surgery plus HIPEC. Extraction of tumor and peritoneum from the inguinal canal facilitates fibrous closure of the hernia defect so that hernia recurrence was not observed., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd, BASO ~ The Association for Cancer Surgery, and the European Society of Surgical Oncology. All rights reserved.)

Background: Peritoneal metastases from gynecologic and gastrointestinal cancer is of increasing interest to surgical and medical oncologists because of newly recognized benefits of treatment. In contrast to prior outcomes, prolonged disease-free survival and cure have been reported., Methods: To date, the benefits are to use complete surgical removal of the peritoneal metastases combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) delivered in the operating room. To supplement the local-regional control, normothermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy used long term (NIPEC-LT) and delivered by an intraperitoneal port has been explored., Results: In three high grade malignancies with the preponderance of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and HIPEC treatment failures within the peritoneal space, NIPEC-LT has been favorably reported in the oncology literature. In ovarian cancer and malignant peritoneal mesothelioma the NIPEC-LT is used an adjuvant treatment in an attempt to preserve a surgical complete response of CRS. In gastric cancer, NIPEC-LT is given as a neoadjuvant treatment with responders going on to radical surgical resection. Responses are monitored by laparoscopy., Conclusions: This overview highlights benefits of NIPEC-LT in three diseases where benefits from CRS and HIPEC have been recognized but that local-regional failures persist. Improved results with NIPEC-LT have been reviewed for ovarian cancer, gastric cancer, and peritoneal mesothelioma., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The funding organization(s) played no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the report for publication.

Background: Peritoneal metastasis of colonic origin is associated with a poor prognosis. This study aimed to analyze the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognostic predictors of survival in a cohort of patients treated with cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (POIC) during two decades., Methods: A retrospective study analyzed a prospectively maintained database for all patients treated for peritoneal metastasis of a colonic origin (PCC) from January 1990 to April 2015., Results: The 318 patients in our study comprised 171 men (53.8%) and 147 women (46.2%). The mean age of the patients at presentation was 50.6 years, (range 18-86 years). Overall survival was 42.5%, median survival and follow-up time was 21.5 and 15.0 months respectively. The 3 and 5 years survival rates were respectively 35 and 25%. The median survival time was 20.6 months for the men and 23.1 months for the women (p = 0.14). The mean intraoperative peritoneal carcinomatosis index (PCI) was 15.2. The patients who had a completeness of cytoreduction (CC) score of 0 or 1 (no residual disease <0.25 mm) had a median survival time of 36.6 months compared with 18.3 months for the patients with a CC-2 score and 7.6 months for the patients with a CC-3 score (p < 0.000). The significant independent predictors of survival in the multivariate analysis were the CC score and elevated tumor makers CA153 and CA125., Conclusion: For patients with a limited extent of peritoneal metastases, CC is the most important prognostic variable for improved survival of colon cancer patients with peritoneal metastases.

Objective: Appendectomy is an extremely common surgical procedure usually performed for an inflammatory process within this organ. Upon occasion, the pathology within the appendix is a neoplastic process which requires definitive oncologic management., Methods: The optimal management strategies for appendiceal neoplasms were reviewed and pertinent literature critically evaluated. The technology for appendectomy for an inflammatory process and an appendectomy for a neoplastic process were compared and contrasted., Results: A new surgical procedure called "radical appendectomy" was described and its merits for optimizing the management of an appendiceal neoplasm enumerated. The technology of radical appendectomy was described. The possible shortcomings that may be encountered in performing a new surgical methodology for appendectomy was presented and the results of a technically perfect radical appendectomy enumerated. The integration of a radical appendectomy with perioperative hyperthermic chemotherapy was described., Conclusions: When a malignancy exists as the cause of appendiceal pathology, the radical appendectomy will provide the maximal amount of information required for optimal decisions regarding patient management., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Only approximately one in ten pancreas cancer patients is a candidate for potentially curative resection of this disease. Even this small fraction of patients has a poor prognosis following pancreatico-duodenectomy. The disease has an anatomic location that makes it difficult for the surgeon to maintain adequate margins of resection and prevent tumor spillage at the time of resection. Also, the disease is biologically aggressive and even with a complete visible resection of the disease, micrometastases are likely to remain behind., Methods: A survey of the sites for surgical treatment failure of resected pancreas cancer was performed. Also, the multiple modalities used in an attempt to improve the results of cancer resection are scrutinized., Results: The surgical treatment failures are regional in nature and occur at the resection site and on peritoneal surfaces, within the liver, and within the regional lymph nodes. These anatomic sites account for nearly 100% of the initial sites of disease progression. Current hypothesis suggests that micrometastases released from the cancer specimen by the trauma of surgery account for the high incidence of resection site progression and peritoneal metastases. Although surgical trauma may contribute to micrometastases within the liver and lymph nodes, these are most likely present though not detected by preoperative radiologic studies. Adjuvant treatments such as neoadjuvant chemotherapy or combination systemic chemotherapy have not been associated with improved survival. Extended resections such as total pancreatectomy or extended lymphadenectomy have not been associated with benefit. However, resection with a negative margin of excision along with the removal of at least 12 lymph nodes in and around the pancreaticoduodenectomy specimen is associated with superior outcomes. A regional chemotherapy treatment that consists of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) with gemcitabine and long-term normothermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (NIPEC-LT) gemcitabine for 6 months postoperatively is suggested as a new treatment that has demonstrated decreases in local-regional failure and promises to more adequately target micrometastases in the peritoneal space, in the liver and lymph nodes., Conclusions: Pancreas cancer surgery should attempt to achieve negative margins of resection with the removal of at least 12 lymph nodes. Hyperthermic intraperitoneal gemcitabine can adequately eradicate malignant cells dislodged from the cancer specimen into the bed of the resection at high density and on distant peritoneal surfaces as peritoneal metastases. Long-term intraperitoneal gemcitabine may act on micrometastases in the liver through absorption into the portal vein blood and the lymph nodes as a result of gemcitabine absorption by subperitoneal lymphatic channels. The use of HIPEC and NIPEC-LT gemcitabine may improve local control of resected pancreas cancer., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Mucinous appendiceal neoplasms (MAN) with peritoneal dissemination is treated as a standard of care using cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic perioperative chemotherapy. The extent of the resection of peritoneal surfaces and visceral structures is generally well defined. Exception to this consensus regarding structures to be removed are the right colon and adjacent ileocolic lymph nodes., Methods: From a prospectively maintained database, all patients with a histologic diagnosis of peritoneal mucinous carcinoma (PMCA) who underwent complete cytoreductive surgery were assessed for the presence versus absence of adenocarcinoma in lymph nodes within the appendiceal mesentery and/or in the lymph nodes of the ileocolic group. The histologic grade of the PMCA was correlated with the incidence of lymph node invasion. Also, in those PMCA patients who had no evidence of lymph node invasion, recurrence within the ileocolic lymph nodes was determined by computed tomography or second look., Results: In a database of MAN patients, 299 had a histologic diagnosis of PMCA. In well-differentiated (n = 44), moderately differentiated (n = 107), and poorly differentiated (n = 148) PMCA specimens, there were 6.8, 5.6, and 29 % positive lymph nodes, respectively. None of these 151 patients with well- or moderately differentiated PMCA had a computed tomographic scan or clinical evidence by second-look surgery of recurrence within the ileocolic lymph nodes., Conclusions: There is a low incidence (6.0 %) of positive lymph nodes in patients with low or moderately differentiated PMCA. With high-grade disease, lymph node invasion increased to 29.0 %. Right colectomy is indicated in patients with high-grade PMCA.

Background: A reasonable estimate is that 50% of patients treated with cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and perioperative chemotherapy for malignant peritoneal mesothelioma will recur. Recognition of this recurrence and knowledgeable selection for additional surgical intervention is important in improving survival of patients who progress., Material and Methods: Patients treated for malignant peritoneal mesothelioma with CRS and perioperative chemotherapy were placed in follow-up for assessment of symptoms and signs and radiologic abnormalities by CT. The data were prospectively maintained and retrospectively reviewed., Results: From a database of 130 patients with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma, 38 patients who had 50 reoperations with disease recurrence that was histologically confirmed were studied. The median time to first recurrence was 14 months with a range of 3-102. Considering 50 reoperative events the most common symptoms or signs were abdominal pain (40%) and abdominal distention (34%). The most common radiologic finding was a tumor mass (56%). Patients with an abdominal or pelvic mass had a reduced prognosis (p = 0.006) and patients with an absence of radiologic abnormalities had an improved survival (p = 0.047)., Conclusions: In patients having reoperative surgery, symptoms, signs and radiologic abnormalities associated with recurrent (progressive) malignant peritoneal mesothelioma are abdominal pain, abdominal distention, and a tumor mass. An abdominal or pelvic mass was associated with a reduced prognosis and an absence of radiologic abnormalities with an improved prognosis., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd, BASO ~ The Association for Cancer Surgery, and the European Society of Surgical Oncology. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Adrenal cortical carcinoma is a rare cancer that often presents in an advanced stage. Not only systemic metastases but also local recurrence and peritoneal metastases prevent long-term survival in these patients., Methods: A profoundly symptomatic patient with extensive peritoneal metastases and local recurrence was treated using cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) with melphalan as the chemotherapy agent., Results: Relative sparing of the small bowel within the abdomen and pelvis allowed a visible complete resection of all cancer. The HIPEC with melphalan was used to control microscopic residual disease. Similar surgical technology used in this patient could be used to prevent local recurrence and peritoneal metastases in patients at the time of resection of the primary adrenal cortical carcinoma., Conclusions: Rare diseases may have peritoneal metastases as a component of disease progression and profit from treatment with CRS plus HIPEC. The clinical features suggesting a favorable outcome from this combined treatment are relative sparing of small bowel and its mesentery, absence of disease outside the abdomen, low-grade disease, or limited extent of high-grade disease.

Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare disease, with approximately 800 new patients per year in the United States. Its natural history is defined by progression restricted to the peritoneal space. In the past, patients with this disease had a limited lifespan of approximately 1 year. Numerous single-institution studies as well as a systematic review have reported median survival of 3 to 5 years with a combination of cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic perioperative chemotherapy. These markedly improved survival statistics were achieved in experienced centers with 1% mortality and 20% morbidity rates. Data have shown that knowledgeable patient selection is required to prevent patients unlikely to benefit from undergoing these interventions. The conclusion is that patients with peritoneal mesothelioma can experience long-term progression-free survival or significant palliation with cytoreductive surgery plus hyperthermic perioperative chemotherapy. This management plan should be considered the standard of care for properly selected patients with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma at experienced centers around the world.

Introduction: The most common cause of tumour progression in advanced gastric cancer is peritoneal carcinosis (PC). The necessity to increase the survival in advanced diseases suggested to deliver the chemotherapy directly in the peritoneal cavity also in Cy+/PC- and to experiment the effect of massive peritoneal lavage to wash out the tumour cells. The aim of this study is to investigate the gain in term of survival and peritoneal recurrence rate of the intraperitoneal chemotherapy and/or peritoneal lavage in patients with Cy+/PC-., Material and Methods: A systematic review with meta-analysis of trials about the effect of intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IPC) and/or peritoneal lavage (PL) on positive cytology in gastric cancer without carcinosis., Results: Three trials have been included (164 patients: 76 received surgery alone, 51 surgery + IPC and 37 surgery + IPC + PL). Two- and five-years survival is increased by IPC (RR = 1.62, RR = 3.10). 2 and 5 years survival is further increased by IPC + PL (RR = 2.33, RR = 6.19). Peritoneal recurrence is reduced by IPC (OR = 0.45) and by IPC + PL (OR = 0.13)., Conclusions: Two- and five-years overall survival in patients with free cancer cells without carcinosis is incremented by intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Peritoneal lavage further increases these survival rates and also it further decreases the peritoneal recurrence rate., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The purpose of this manuscript is to critically evaluate the preoperative assessments of peritoneal metastases described to date. Recommendations regarding use of current modalities and an assessment of their reliability will be made.

Recently, Peritoneal Surface Oncology Group International (PSOGI) developed a novel comprehensive treatment consisting of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and perioperative chemotherapy (POC) for the treatment of peritoneal metastases (PM) from gastric cancer with curative intent. This article reviews the results of this treatment and verifies its indication. In this strategy, peritoneal cancer index (PCI) is determined by laparoscopy, and a peritoneal port is placed. Neoadjuvant bidirectional intraperitoneal/systemic chemotherapy (NIPS) is performed for 3 cycles, and then laparotomy is performed. Cytoreductive surgery with peritonectomy procedures and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion (HIPEC) are performed. Multivariate analyses showed that completeness of cytoreduction, pathologic response to NIPS and PCI level and cytologic status after NIPS, as independent prognostic factors. PCI less than cut-off level after NIPS, negative cytology after NIPS, and positive response to NIPS were identified as the indications for comprehensive treatment. Patients who hold these criteria should be considered as the candidates for CRS and HIPEC., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Peritoneal metastases from gastrointestinal cancer was, in the past, accepted as an inevitable component of the natural history of these diseases. It is a major cause of intestinal obstruction, fistula formation, and bowel perforation as the recurrent malignancy progresses to a terminal condition. Peritoneal metastases may be caused by full thickness penetration of the bowel wall by the primary cancer or by spilled cancer cells released into the peritoneal space by surgical trauma. Two new surgical technologies that have evolved to manage peritoneal metastases are cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). This combined treatment strategy uses peritonectomy procedures and visceral resections to reduce the disease in the abdomen and pelvis to a macroscopic volume. Then, HIPEC is used to preserve the complete cytoreduction by controlling the minimal residual disease. Since the extent of peritoneal metastases, as measured by the peritoneal cancer index (PCI), is crucial to a favorable outcome, prognostic indicators are used to select patients for treatment. The combined treatment may be used to prevent peritoneal metastases in gastrointestinal cancer patients having a resection of the primary malignancy. This is especially important in gastric cancer patients with serosal invasion. The combined treatment may be used synchronously with the primary cancer resection if peritoneal metastases are already apparent. The treatment is most frequently used with metachronous peritoneal metastases diagnosed in follow-up. Cure of peritoneal metastases is an option in selected patients and its knowledgeable use is progressing towards a new standard of care., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Colorectal cancer is a surgicaly curable disease. It requires multimodality of treatment in Localy advanced and metastatic disease. Molecular markers like RAS mutation has brought in change in the mangement of metastatic disease. Nearly 15 to 20 % presents with peritonieal surface metastasis. The debate continues with systomic vs Cyutoreductive surgery with are without HIPEC. This article highlights management of peritoneal metastasis with special reference to prevention and treatment.

Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) combined have been recognized as standard of care for treatment of a subset of patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC). The aim of CRS is to eliminate all macroscopic disease through a series of visceral resections followed by targeting any residual microscopic disease with intraperitoneal chemotherapy, exposing the peritoneal surfaces to a high concentration of chemotherapy with a lower systemic toxicity. Different regimes of intraperitoneal chemotherapy include HIPEC, early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (EPIC) and bidirectional chemotherapy. The efficacy and modality of treatment with intraperitoneal chemotherapy is dependent on multiple factors including the chosen cytotoxic agent and its pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. There is no standardized methodology for intraperitoneal chemotherapy administration. This review will discuss the pharmacological principles of the various intraperitoneal chemotherapy techniques.

Worldwide, cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has been used for nearly 3 decades to treat peritoneal metastases (PM), improve quality of life, and prolong survival substantially in selected patients. In India, the use of the combined modality of treatment dates back a decade with majority of the efforts taking place within the last 5 years. The first PSOGI workshop (India) held in April 2015, at Bangalore, India offered an opportunity for Indian surgeons performing CRS and HIPEC to share their experience. To study the methodologies of CRS and HIPEC (hospital set up, equipment, training and surgical background) as well as the outcomes in terms of perioperative morbidity and mortality and short and long term survival of patients treated in India, Indian surgeons who had treated at least 10 patients with this combined modality were invited to present their experience. Data collection was retrospective. Analysis of the pooled data was carried out. Eight surgeons treated 384 patients with CRS and HIPEC over a period of 10 years. The commonest primary sites were ovary (as first line therapy n = 124), followed by appendix, including pseudomyxoma peritonei (n = 99), colorectum (n = 77), recurrent ovary (as second line therapy, n = 33), stomach (n = 15), primary peritoneal cancer (n = 10), peritoneal mesothelioma (n = 9) and rare tumors in 17 patients. The weighted mean PCI for all 384 patients was 18.25. 349/384 patients (90.88 %) had a complete cytoreduction (completeness of cytoreduction score of CC-0/1). Grade 3-5 complications developed in 108 patients (27.34 %) and 30 day mortality occurred in 28 (7.29 %) patients. This study showed that CRS and HIPEC can be performed with an acceptable morbidity and mortality in Indian patients. Most of the surgeons are on the learning curve and further improvement in these outcomes is expected over a period of time. Pooling of data related to both common and rare peritoneal cancers would be useful in knowing the disease behavior, response to treatment and outcomes in Indian patients. The 2015 PSOGI meeting provided a unique platform for data presentation with feedback from international experts in the field of peritoneal surface oncology. Future meetings are planned to expand the evaluation of Indian data and progress.

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.

Background: In performing cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic perioperative chemotherapy, a rectosigmoid colon resection is frequently required. To reduce the incidence of anastomotic leakage at the colorectal anastomoses, a diverting ileostomy has been recommended in these patients., Methods: Stripping of mesorectal fat from the rectum up to the peritoneal reflection allows transection of the rectum at the junction of the upper and middle rectum. A suture pulls in the lateral aspects of the rectal staple line so that this staple line is included within the barrel of the stapler. After the circular-stapled anastomoses is complete, a second layer of silk sutures is used to invert the staple line., Results: In 31 stapled colorectal anastomoses, three rectal transections were so low that a layer of sutures was not possible. In the 29 two-layer colorectal anastomoses, no anastomotic leakages were observed. The incidence of diverting ileostomy was reduced from 50 to 7 %., Conclusions: These results suggest that preservation of a 10-15 cm length of rectum allows a second layer of sutures to be placed over the stapled colorectal anastomoses. This is a safe alternative to a diverting ileostomy in selected patients.

Background: Tumors that show a signet ring or adenocarcinoid histomorphology have been associated with a poor prognosis. This study aimed to analyze the clinicopathologic and prognostic features in patients with peritoneal metastasis from mucinous adenocarcinoma (PMCA), adenocarcinoma with signet ring cell (PMCA-S), or adenocarcinoid (PMCA-A) of the appendix treated with cytoreductive surgery and perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy., Methods: Retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database for all patients treated for appendiceal adenocarcinoma from 1989 to 2012 was performed., Results: The study cohort consisted of 494 patients including 361 patients with PMCA (73.1 %), 80 patients with PMCA-S (16.2 %), and 53 patients with PMCA-A (10.7 %). The patients comprised 273 men (55.3 %) and 221 women (44.7 %) with a mean age at presentation of 50.7 years for the PMCA-S patients, 47.3 years for the PMCA patients, and 47.5 years for the PMCA-A patients (p < 0.03). The 3- and 5-year survival rates were respectively 51 and 38 % for PMCA compared with 30 and 22 % for PMCA-S and 26 and 15 % for PMCA-A. The median survival time was 45.4 months for PMCA compared with 18.9 months for PMCA-S and 26.8 months for PMCA-A (p < 0.000). The groups did not differ significantly in the completeness of cytoreduction achieved, with 53.5 % of the PMCA patients having a CC0/1 compared with 46.2 % of the PMCA-S patients and 41.6 % of the PMCA-A patients (p < 0.20). In the multivariate analysis, the independent predictors of a reduced survival were incompleteness of cytoreduction, histomorphology of PMCA-S or PMCA-A, and distant metastasis., Conclusion: The findings showed that PMCA-S or PMCA-A histomorphology contributes to the poor prognosis associated with peritoneal metastasis from appendiceal adenocarcinoma. The independent predictors for a poor overall survival included incompleteness of cytoreduction, PMCA-S and PMCA-A histomorphology, and distant metastasis.

Purpose: Complete cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has changed the therapeutic landscape, improving overall survival in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis with a colonic origin. The main limitation of this aggressive locoregional procedure, however, is extra-abdominal or distant spread. The objective of this study was to identify the prognostic value of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis of colonic origin undergoing CRS + HIPEC., Patients and Methods: Fourteen patients diagnosed with peritoneal carcinomatosis from colon cancer and suitable for potentially curative treatment with CRS + HIPEC were included in this study. CTCs were isolated from the peripheral blood by immunomagnetic techniques by the use of a multi-cytokeratin-specific antibody and detected via immunocytochemical methods. The phenotypic characterization of EGFR on CTCs was analyzed by immunofluorescence., Results: At baseline, 50% of the patients were positive for CTCs, with a mean value of 5.5 CTCs per 10 mL of peripheral blood. After surgery, 28.57% of the patients presented CTCs, with a mean value of 6.75 CTCs per 10 mL. A positive correlation was found between the presence of CTC-negative, epidermal growth factor receptor-positive at baseline and the patients who had symptoms of intestinal obstruction (21.4%). In addition, the presence of CTCs identified patients with distant dissemination and was also significantly correlated with progression-free survival (P = .0024)., Conclusion: The detection and characterization of CTCs are good prognostic and predictive markers in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis resulting from colon cancer. These analyses could be used as a new tool to identify subpopulations of patients who could benefit from CRS + HIPEC treatment., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Although cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic perioperative chemotherapy (HIPEC) have not been shown to be effective by themselves, as a combined treatment they are now standard of care for peritoneal metastases from appendiceal cancer and from colorectal cancer as well as peritoneal mesothelioma. The timing of the HIPEC in relation to the CRS is crucial in that the HIPEC is to destroy minimal residual disease that remains following the CRS and prevent microscopic tumor emboli within the abdomen and pelvis from implanting within the resection site, within fibrinous clot, or within blood clot. Proper selection of chemotherapy agents is crucial to the long-term benefit of CRS and HIPEC. One must consider the response expected with the cancer chemotherapy agent, its area under the curve (AUC) ratio indicating the amount of dose intensity within the peritoneal space, and the drug retention within the peritoneal space for a prolonged exposure. Hyperthermia will augment the cytotoxicity of the cancer chemotherapy agents and improve drug penetration. Irrigation techniques should not be overlooked as an important means of reducing the cancer cell burden within the abdomen and pelvis. Multiple technologies for HIPEC exist and these have advantages and disadvantages. The techniques vary from a totally open technique with a vapor barrier over the open abdominal space to a totally closed technique whereby the HIPEC is administered at the completion of the surgical procedure. The open techniques depend on a table-mounted retractor for suspension of the skin edges allowing a reservoir to occur within the abdomen and pelvis. There are nearly a dozen commercially available hyperthermia pumps, all of which seem to perform adequately for HIPEC although there is a variable degree of convenience and documentation of the HIPEC procedure. As the management of peritoneal metastases has progressed over three decades, early cases are now seen in which a laparoscopic CRS and HIPEC may be appropriate. Also, prophylactic use of laparoscopic HIPEC with perforated appendiceal malignancies and T4 colon cancers may be appropriate.

Background: In the surgical management of peritoneal metastases, a complete cytoreduction with all visible tumor removed is a necessary part of successful long-term management. One peritonectomy procedure that is occasionally accompanied by hemorrhage is the lesser omentectomy-omental bursectomy procedure. In the past, the cause of this unforeseen complication of cytoreductive surgery was not understood., Methods: The anatomy of the lesser omentectomy-omental bursectomy procedure was reviewed. The bleeding was determined to be originating from the superior aspect of the omental bursa and intimately associated with the left hepatic vein., Results: In performing this peritonectomy, it is necessary to clear the fissure defined by segments 2 and 3 of the liver with the left caudate lobe of the liver. This is the fissure defined by the ligamentum venosum. In dissecting the ligamentum venosum to its cranial end, this structure was found to be patent at its entrance into the left hepatic vein in some patients. Removal of the specimen requires transection of the ligamentum venosum as it enters the left hepatic vein. Transection of the ligament venosum at its cranial end can result in hemorrhage as a part of the lesser omentectomy-omental bursectomy procedure., Conclusions: The ligamentum venosum should be identified within the fissure where it is anatomically located. As the specimen is removed from the superior aspect of the omental bursa, the attachments between the ligamentum venosum and the left hepatic vein should be ligated prior to the transection.

Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a complex disease with unique biological behavior that usually arises from appendiceal mucinous neoplasia. The classification of PMP and its primary appendiceal neoplasia is contentious, and an international modified Delphi consensus process was instigated to address terminology and definitions. A classification of mucinous appendiceal neoplasia was developed, and it was agreed that "mucinous adenocarcinoma" should be reserved for lesions with infiltrative invasion. The term "low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm" was supported and it was agreed that "cystadenoma" should no longer be recommended. A new term of "high-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm" was proposed for lesions without infiltrative invasion but with high-grade cytologic atypia. Serrated polyp with or without dysplasia was preferred for tumors with serrated features confined to the mucosa with an intact muscularis mucosae. Consensus was achieved on the pathologic classification of PMP, defined as the intraperitoneal accumulation of mucus due to mucinous neoplasia characterized by the redistribution phenomenon. Three categories of PMP were agreed-low grade, high grade, and high grade with signet ring cells. Acellular mucin should be classified separately. It was agreed that low-grade and high-grade mucinous carcinoma peritonei should be considered synonymous with disseminated peritoneal adenomucinosis and peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis, respectively. A checklist for the pathologic reporting of PMP and appendiceal mucinous neoplasms was also developed. By adopting the classifications and definitions that were agreed, different centers will be able to use uniform terminology that will allow meaningful comparison of their results.

Despite innovation in surgical technology, colorectal adenocarcinoma is a disease process with a risk of local and regional progression of disease. This article seeks to identify patients with primary disease who are at high risk for minimal residual disease from cancer spread after resection. These are the patients who will profit from novel perioperative surgical treatments that will improve the clearance and containment of cancer cells disseminated prior to or at the time of the adenocarcinoma resection. Clinical factors that identify these patients at high risk for local recurrence and peritoneal metastases are presented. Data regarding novel surgical techniques that include perioperative cancer chemotherapy to provide more optimal treatment are described. The perioperative timing of the revised surgical options is emphasized.

Background: Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a rare locoregional disease characterized by disseminated intraperitoneal mucinous tumors. However, little is known about PMP from urachal neoplasm as a result of its rarity., Methods: A total of 9 patients with PMP of urachal origin were treated by cytoreductive surgery (CRS) plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in our institution. All specimens of surgeries were submitted for pathologic examination. Representative slides of tumors and normal urachus were submitted for immunohistochemical staining., Results: Four patients were men; the median age was 48 years (range 27-65 years). Initial radiologic examination of all patients showed a cystic tumor located between posterior aspect of umbilicus and the dome of urinary bladder, with or without leaking mucin. Complete CRS and HIPEC were performed in all patients. Until the latest follow-up, local recurrence occurred in 1 patient. Other 8 patients had a median disease-free survival of 27.5 months. Primary urachal tumors of 9 cases were all mucinous adenocarcinoma. Six patients had low-grade mucinous carcinoma peritonei, and 3 patients had high-grade mucinous carcinoma peritonei. Signet ring cells were noted in 4 patients. All tumor specimens of 9 patients were diffuse positive for CK-20, CDX-2, MUC-2, and MUC-5AC, and were variant positive for CK-7., Conclusions: PMP arising from urachus comes from neoplastic cells with development of intestinal-type mucinous neoplasm. It shares a similar pathophysiology as PMP from appendix. CRS including total urethrectomy, partial cystectomy, and peritonectomy plus HIPEC can be considered as a new option of treatment for PMP originating from urachus.

Introduction: The completeness of cytoreduction has been considerated as fundamental in increasing the life expectancy in patients with peritoneal carcinosis (PC) in gastric cancer. However no definitive data about the real effect of complete cytoreduction (CC) have still been published. Moreover the PCI cut-off to attempt CC with a reasonable risk-benefit ratio still lacks., Material and Methods: A systematic review with meta-analysis of trials of complete vs incomplete cytoreduction in patients with peritoneal carcinosis from GC was performed., Results: Nine trials have been included (748 patients: 417 with CC0-CC1 and 324 with CC2-CC3 cytoreduction). 1, 2, 3 and 5 years survival is favorable to CC0-CC1 (Risk Ratio: 2.41, 8.18, 8.66, and 7.96 respectively). CC0 vs. CC1 survival benefit at 1 and 3 years: RR 2.28 and 6.36 respectively, favoring CC0. 1, 2, 3 and 5 years survival changes significantly above and below a PCI of 12., Conclusions: 1, 2, 3 and 5-year overall survival is increased by CC0-CC1 cytoreduction in patients with PC from gastric origin. Moreover CC0 increases the 1 and 3 years survival when compared to CC1 cytoreduction., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a promising treatment for patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC). Our objective was to identify new prognostic factors within the Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI) score in PC patients., Methods: 140 patients (60 ovarian, 45 colon, 14 gastric, 10 pseudomyxoma peritonei, 5 mesothelioma, 6 sarcoma) with PC treated with CRS+HIPEC from 2007 to December 2013 were retrospectively included. Tumor extent and location were assessed by the PCI and residual disease was recorded using the Completeness of Cytoreduction (CC) score. All clinical data were computed in univariate and multivariate analysis using survival as primary endpoint., Results: The PCI remains the most important factor concerning the long-term survival. Involved areas 4, 5 and 8 are more favorable in survival vs areas 9, 10 and 11, which predict a significantly worse outcome (p<0.002). Prognosis varies not only depending on how many peritoneal areas are involved but also on the location of the primary tumor., Conclusion: We demonstrated that the involvement of different areas in the PCI system has a significant impact on the final prognosis and survival.

Despite the fact that cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic perioperative chemotherapy (HIPEC) is conceptually simplistic, optimal implementation of this combined treatment remains complex. Multiple patient-related variables, methodologic variables, and pharmacologic variables need to be considered in devising an optimal treatment strategy. Working through these variables considering the pathophysiology of peritoneal metastases and their possible treatments is more likely to provide guidance in terms of successful management than multiple randomized controlled trials. The principles of management include: 1) A surgical technology involving peritonectomy procedures and visceral resections that will result in a complete cytoreduction. 2) Treatment of patients at a maximal low peritoneal cancer index (PCI) will maximize the benefits especially in those patients who have high grade peritoneal metastases from gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, or ovarian malignancy. 3) Tumor cell entrapment should be avoided by preventing major surgical procedures prior to the definitive treatment with CRS and HIPEC. 4) Mechanical removal of cancer cells and small nodules by mechanical irrigation prior to HIPEC is necessary. 5) A response must be generated using cancer chemotherapy to eradicate small volume residual disease that will remain even after a complete cytoreduction by visual inspection. 6) The benefits of multiple cycles of normothermic intraperitoneal and intravenous chemotherapy (NIPEC) used long-term to help preserve the surgical complete response needs to be integrated into the overall plan of management. Currently, with peritoneal metastases from high grade disease perioperative chemotherapy usually fails to maintain the surgical complete response. Major modifications of the perioperative chemotherapy using HIPEC, early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (EPIC) and NIPEC long-term will go far towards optimizing the treatment of peritoneal metastases no matter what the primary gastrointestinal or gynecologic malignancy is being treated.

Background: Diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (DMPM) is an aggressive disease for which cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) have been used with remarkable survival benefits. Our aim was to analyze the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of recurrent DMPM managed with iterative CRS and HIPEC., Methods: A retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database for all patients treated for DMPM from 1989 to 2012., Results: Of 205 consecutive CRS and HIPEC procedures, 44 (21.5 %) patients underwent an iterative procedure-22 (50.0 %) males versus 22 (50.0 %) females. Mean age at recurrence was 51.5 years. There was no 30-day mortality following an iterative procedure, and the grade III-V morbidity was 2.3 %. The median overall survival of patients undergoing an iterative CRS and HIPEC was 54 months versus 77 months following an initial CRS and HIPEC (p = 0.96). Patients undergoing an iterative surgery had a 3- and 5-year survival of 61 and 46 %, respectively, versus 60 and 52 % following an initial CRS and HIPEC. Amongst the iterative group, the achieved complete cytoreduction (CC) score was 15.9, 18.2, 22.7, and 43.2 % for CC0, CC1, CC2 and CC3, respectively, versus 3.1, 43.5, 28.6 and 24.8 %, respectively, following initial CRS (p = 0.000). Significant predictors of an improved survival in multivariate analysis were an epithelioid subtype, female sex, complete or near CC (CC0 or CC1), HIPEC regimen utilized, absence of postoperative complication, and age at diagnosis., Conclusion: Iterative CRS and HIPEC can be performed safely and appear to have benefits with this group of patients showing an improved median survival.

Background: The learning curves for cytoreductive surgery with intraperitoneal chemotherapy for treatment of pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) were explored between international centres/surgeons to identify institutional or other factors that might affect performance., Methods: Data from patients with PMP treated with the combined procedure across 33 international centres between 1993 and 2012 were analysed retrospectively. A risk-adjusted sequential probability ratio test was conducted after defining the target outcome as early oncological failure (disease progression within 2 years of treatment), an acceptable risk for the target outcome (odds ratio) of 2, and type I/II error rates of 5 per cent. The risk prediction model was elaborated and patients were evaluated sequentially for each centre/surgeon. The learning curve was considered to be overcome and proficiency achieved when the odds ratio for early oncological failure became smaller than 2., Results: Rates of optimal cytoreduction, severe postoperative morbidity and early oncological failure were 84·4, 25·7 and 29·0 per cent respectively. The median annual centre volume was 17 (range 6-66) peritoneal malignancies. Only eight of the 33 centres and six of 47 surgeons achieved proficiency after a median of 100 (range 78-284) and 96 (86-284) procedures respectively. The most important institutional factor affecting surgical performance was centre volume., Conclusion: The learning curve is extremely long, so centralization and/or networking of centres is necessary to assure quality of services. One centre for every 10-15 million inhabitants would be ideal., (© 2014 BJS Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Around the globe a new interest in the multidisciplinary management of peritoneal metastases using neoadjuvant chemotherapy, cytoreductive surgery (CRS), hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), and adjuvant systemic chemotherapy has occurred. The combined use of these treatment modalities has required the creation of centers of excellence to manage patients with peritoneal metastases with a high level of success as well as a low incidence of adverse events., Methods: A 2-day workshop hosted by the Center of Abdominal Surgery, Vilnius University Hospital, with 230 participants was organized to explore the current practice in the Baltic states. Live surgery with video transmission initiated the efforts. Then, presentations by five experts from high-volume peritoneal surface malignancy centers were made and discussed. A summary of the efforts to date in Lithuania and Estonia was presented and collected for publication., Results: The live surgery served as a focal point for all subsequent presentations. The five invited speakers reviewed the rationale, current literature, indications and contraindications, implementation, and current European guidelines for management. The results of CRS and HIPEC from five centers in Lithuania and Estonia currently active revealed 127 patients treated to date, half of whom carried a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. There was an incidence of major complications of 11.8% and a mortality of 1.6%. Data regarding long-term survival benefits will require further follow-up., Conclusions: Progress in peritoneal surface oncology in the Baltic states was confirmed. With a low morbidity and mortality, these clinical programs promise to provide continued benefit for patients with peritoneal metastases - a condition judged to be terminal in the past.

The prevention of a disease process has always been superior to the treatment of the same disease throughout the history of medicine and surgery. Local recurrence and peritoneal metastases occur in approximately 8% of colon cancer patients and 25% of rectal cancer patients and should be prevented. Strategies to prevent colon or rectal cancer local recurrence and peritoneal metastases include cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic perioperative chemotherapy (HIPEC). These strategies can be used at the time of primary colon or rectal cancer resection if the HIPEC is available. At institutions where HIPEC is not available with the treatment of primary malignancy, a proactive second-look surgery is recommended. Several phase II studies strongly support the proactive approach. If peritoneal metastases were treated along with the primary colon resection, 5-year survival was seen and these results were superior to the results of treatment after peritoneal metastases had developed as recurrence. Also, prophylactic HIPEC improved survival with T3/T4 mucinous or signet ring colon cancers. A second-look has been shown to be effective in two published manuscripts. Unpublished data from MedStar Washington Cancer Institute also produced favorable date. Rectal cancer with peritoneal metastases may not be so effectively treated. There are both credits and debits of this proactive approach. Selection factors should be reviewed by the multidisciplinary team for individualized management of patients with or at high risk for peritoneal metastases.

Advanced gastric cancer (GC) has been recognized as lethal disease when peritoneal metastases (PM) occurred. There is no standard treatment for advanced GC with PM. Until 1980s, the therapeutic arena for these patients had remained stagnant, with no therapeutic approach having shown a survival gain in GC with PM. However, cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with peritonectomy procedures and intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IPC) promising new combined therapeutic approach to achieve disease control for GC with PM. The recent publications changed the GC with PM treatment landscape by providing an evidence that CRS and IPC led to prolongation in overall survival (OS). This review will provide an overview of the evolving role of CRS and IPC in the management of advanced GC with PM in the current era.

This paper compared the similarities and differences of the two most common types of colorectal cancer metastases. The treatment of liver metastases by surgery combined with systemic chemotherapy was explained. The different natural history of liver metastases as compared to peritoneal metastases and the possibility for prevention of peritoneal metastases were emphasized. Perioperative cancer chemotherapy or second-look surgery must be considered as individualized treatments of selected patients who have small volume peritoneal metastases or who are known to be at risk for subsequent disease progression on peritoneal surfaces. However, the fact that peritoneal metastases, when diagnosed in the follow-up of colorectal cancer patients, can be cured with a combination of cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic perioperative chemotherapy cannot be ignored. Careful follow-up and timely intervention in colorectal cancer patients with progressive disease are a necessary part of the management strategies recommended by the multidisciplinary team. After a critical evaluation of the data currently available, these strategies for prevention and management of colorectal metastases are presented as the author's recommendations for a high standard of care. As more information becomes available, modifications may be necessary.

Background: In 2013 Guidelines on diagnosis and management of ASBO have been revised and updated by the WSES Working Group on ASBO to develop current evidence-based algorithms and focus indications and safety of conservative treatment, timing of surgery and indications for laparoscopy., Recommendations: In absence of signs of strangulation and history of persistent vomiting or combined CT-scan signs (free fluid, mesenteric edema, small-bowel feces sign, devascularization) patients with partial ASBO can be managed safely with NOM and tube decompression should be attempted. These patients are good candidates for Water-Soluble-Contrast-Medium (WSCM) with both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The radiologic appearance of WSCM in the colon within 24 hours from administration predicts resolution. WSCM maybe administered either orally or via NGT both immediately at admission or after failed conservative treatment for 48 hours. The use of WSCM is safe and reduces need for surgery, time to resolution and hospital stay.NOM, in absence of signs of strangulation or peritonitis, can be prolonged up to 72 hours. After 72 hours of NOM without resolution, surgery is recommended.Patients treated non-operatively have shorter hospital stay, but higher recurrence rate and shorter time to re-admission, although the risk of new surgically treated episodes of ASBO is unchanged. Risk factors for recurrences are age <40 years and matted adhesions. WSCM does not decrease recurrence rates or recurrences needing surgery.Open surgery is often used for strangulating ASBO as well as after failed conservative management. In selected patients and with appropriate skills, laparoscopic approach is advisable using open access technique. Access in left upper quadrant or left flank is the safest and only completely obstructing adhesions should be identified and lysed with cold scissors. Laparoscopic adhesiolysis should be attempted preferably if first episode of SBO and/or anticipated single band. A low threshold for open conversion should be maintained.Peritoneal adhesions should be prevented. Hyaluronic acid-carboxycellulose membrane and icodextrin decrease incidence of adhesions. Icodextrin may reduce the risk of re-obstruction. HA cannot reduce need of surgery.Adhesions quantification and scoring maybe useful for achieving standardized assessment of adhesions severity and for further research in diagnosis and treatment of ASBO.

Metastases from colorectal cancer occur to the regional lymph nodes, the liver, the peritoneal surfaces, and lung. These metastases may occur synchronously or metachronously and the timing of the metastatic process is important in terms of treatment possibilities. Each anatomic site for metastatic disease has a unique management strategy. Systemic chemotherapy as an adequate management plan for all sites of colorectal metastatic disease is not compatible with a high standard of care. Formulation of an individualized plan combining surgery with regional chemotherapy and systemic chemotherapy is a necessary function of the multidisciplinary team., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Peritoneal surface malignancy is a common manifestation of intra-abdominal malignancies. Systemic chemotherapy offers no long-term survival and poor quality of life for these patients in their terminal stages of disease. By contrast, cytoreductive surgery combined with perioperative intraperitoneal and intravenous chemotherapy has resulted in encouraging clinical results. Further improvements should come from both clinical phase II/III studies and pharmacologic research. This article reviews the current pharmacologic data and controversies regarding the perioperative intraperitoneal and intravenous application of chemotherapy., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The benefits that are reported in patients who have carcinomatosis from colorectal cancer increase as the extent of disease within the abdomen and pelvis decreases. To optimize treatments that involve cytoreductive surgery and perioperative chemotherapy, early intervention is necessary. Strategies to improve the results of carcinomatosis treatments include second-look surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in patients at high risk for recurrence. Alternatively, the use of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy can be used to treat or prevent carcinomatosis at the time of primary colorectal cancer resection in selected patients., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Peritoneal carcinomatosis is a common presentation in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer and the overall survival is poor. In most patients, the disease remains limited to the peritoneal cavity. Therefore, investigators have applied cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic perioperative chemotherapy as the standard approach for selected patients with peritoneal metastases from colorectal cancer. Overall, very promising long-term survival has been shown in a subset of patients with a limited extent of peritoneal disease before treatment. Whether randomised, controlled trials are needed to definitively show the magnitude of benefit, if any, of this approach is an important question. This Debate outlines the arguments on each side of this issue., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Combined therapy involving cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy has been shown to improve survival outcomes for patients with diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (DMPM). The present study aims to investigate gender as a potential prognostic factor on overall survival., Patients and Methods: Over a period of two decades, 294 patients who underwent CRS and perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy were selected from a large multi-institutional registry to assess the prognostic significance of gender on overall survival., Results: Female patients were shown to have a significantly improved survival outcome than male patients (P < 0.001). Staging according to a recently proposed tumor-node-metastasis categorization system was significant in both genders. Older female patients had significantly worse survival than younger female patients (P = 0.019), a finding that was absent in male patients. Female patients with low-stage disease were found to have a very favorable long-term outcome after combined treatment., Conclusions: Gender has demonstrated a significant impact on overall survival for patients with DMPM after CRS and perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy. An improved understanding of the role of estrogen in the pathogenesis of DMPM may improve the prognostication of patients and determine the role of adjuvant hormonal treatment in the future.

Aim: To review the published literature analyzing the role of intraperitoneal chemotherapy in gastric cancer., Material of Study: Peritoneal dissemination is a well recognized and important component of disease progression in gastric cancer. Considering that involvement of the peritoneal surface can be anticipated in a large number of patients who present with an advanced gastric cancer, research efforts have been focusing not only on treatment of established peritoneal disease but also on prevention of peritoneal dissemination during surgery for primary gastric cancer., Results: The pharmacologic rationale for intraperitoneal chemotherapy has been well studied. The role and results of HIPEC combined with cytoreductive surgery for patients with established carcinomatosis from gastric cancer has been reported by several groups and appears to be a promising modality for a selected group of patients with limited disease., Discussion: A possible approach to patients with carcinomatosis from gastric cancer includes the use of neoadjuvant bidirectional chemotherapy (intraperitoneal and intravenous or NIPS) with subsequent cytoreduction and HIPEC for patients with a positive response to NIPS. Even more importantly, in several randomized studies and one meta-analysis, the use of intraperitoneal chemotherapy was beneficial in patients undergoing surgery for a primary, advanced gastric cancer., Conclusion: It appears that a significant amount of data has accumulated regarding the KEY optimal use of cytoreductive surgery and intraperitoneal chemotherapy in gastric cancer. An algorithm for the management of gastric cancer patients incorporating these treatment modalities can be implemented.

Parietal peritonectomy is an initial part of cytoreductive surgery in patients with peritoneal surface malignancy. After this dissection, the necessary visceral resections, other peritonectomy procedures, and perioperative hyperthermic chemotherapy are administered. The parietal peritoneum is an immobile portion of the abdominal and pelvic surface area that is often involved by cancer implants in patients with carcinomatosis or peritoneal mesothelioma. The dependent peritoneal surfaces, such as the right retrohepatic space, paracolic sulcus, and pelvis, are involved as a result of gravitational forces. The undersurfaces of the diaphragm and omentums are involved because of major peritoneal fluid resorption at these anatomic sites. Before the parietal peritonectomy is initiated, a peritoneal window is created to digitally and visually inspect the undersurface of the anterior abdominal wall, small bowel, and small bowel mesentery. This inspection is frequently repeated so that parietal peritoneum is removed only where there is visible evidence of cancer implants. Electrosurgery is used as a dissection tool. The dissection proceeds in a centripetal fashion starting at the edges of the large midline abdominal incision and proceeding to the attachments of the peritoneum to the viscera. Initially, exposure is maintained with traction sutures from the skin edge to the fixed retractor. As the dissection deepens, a self-retaining retractor is positioned. Generally, the parietal peritonectomy takes approximately 2½ h and does not require blood replacement. After the parietal peritonectomy, additional cytoreductive surgical procedures and then perioperative chemotherapy are performed.

Cytoreductive surgery combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a treatment option for selected patients with pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) and diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (DMPM). Tumor infiltration of the hemidiaphragm requiring partial resection occurs as a result of large volume and/or invasive disease at this anatomic site. Transmission of disease from abdomen to chest is a great danger in this group of patients. From a prospective database, patients who had diaphragm resection and then hyperthermic thoracoabdominal chemotherapy (HITAC) as a component of a cytoreductive surgical procedure were identified. Data from control patients receiving HIPEC or hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy (HITOC) were analyzed for comparison. The morbidity, mortality, survival, and recurrence rate within the thoracic space were presented. Thirty patients had partial resection of a hemidiaphragm as part of a cytoreductive surgical procedure that utilized HITAC. The pharmacologic benefit of intracavitary chemotherapy administration was documented with an area under the curve ratio of intracavitary concentration times time to plasma concentration times time of 27 ± 10 for mitomycin C and 75 ± 26 for doxorubicin. Comparing percent chemotherapy absorbed for a ninety-minute treatment showed the largest for HIPEC, then for HITAC, and lowest for HITOC. The incidence of grade 3 and 4 adverse events was 43%. There was no mortality. Adjustments in the chemotherapy dose are not necessary with HITAC. The morbidity was high, the survival was acceptable, and intrathoracic recurrence was low.

Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) have been established as treatment options for patients with peritoneal metastases or peritoneal mesothelioma. However, this novel treatment strategy remains associated with a large percentage of local-regional treatment failures. These treatment failures are attributed to the inadequacy of HIPEC to maintain a surgical complete response. Management strategies to supplement CRS and HIPEC are indicated. A simplified approach to the intraoperative placement of an intraperitoneal port for adjuvant bidirectional chemotherapy (ABC) was devised. Four different chemotherapy treatment plans were utilized depending upon the primary site of the malignancy. Thirty-one consecutive patients with an intraoperative placement of the intraperitoneal port were available for study. The incidence of adverse events that caused an early discontinuation of the bidirectional chemotherapy occurred in 75% of the 8 patients who had an incomplete cytoreduction and in 0% of patients who had a complete cytoreduction. All of the patients who had complete cytoreduction completed at least 5 of the scheduled 6 bidirectional chemotherapy treatments. Adjuvant bidirectional chemotherapy is possible following a major cytoreductive surgical procedure using a simplified method of intraoperative intraperitoneal port placement.