Hyperthermic Intraperitonial Chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a medical procedure for the treatment of cancers that have advanced to the abdomen area. HIPEC is usually performed after the removal of lesions and tumours from the abdominal area. HIPEC procedure is also known as ‘hot chemotherapy’. The doctor delivers a favourable quantity of heated chemotherapy straight into the abdomen. HIPEC treatment is more innovative and has fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy treatment. The complete HIPEC procedure takes approximately 6 to 8 hours.
There are two parts of Hyperthermic Intraperitonial Chemotherapy (HIPEC)
Cytoreductive surgery
- A minimally invasive method, known as a laparoscopic method is used to examine the patient’s abdomen from inside.
- All the visible tumours or an entire cancer tissue is removed from the abdomen using a surgical incision.
- Thermal ablation, cryoablation, or an ultrasonic ablation method may be used to remove the cancerous tissue from the abdomen.
Chemoperfusion
- After removing all the cancer tissues from the abdomen, a surgeon transmits a strenuous chemotherapy solution throughout the abdomen.
- The cancer cells in the abdominal area are exposed to chemotherapy solution for around 90 minutes. This chemotherapy solution is heated until it reaches 42 degree Celsius.
- Then the patient’s abdomen is cleaned with a sterile solution after the procedure.
Benefits of HIPEC Treatment
- The HIPEC treatment increases the survival chances of the patient, whose cancers have spread to the abdomen.
- There are less complications and risks of HIPEC treatment as compared to conventional chemotherapy treatment.
- HIPEC treatment is effective in reducing the symptoms of ascites. Ascites can cause discomfort, pain, swelling in the abdomen, breathing problems and even organ failure.
- HIPEC therapy is limited to the cancer in abdomen. Therefore, there is a higher drug concentration to deal with the cancer tumors.
- The heated drugs delivered through the HIPEC therapy stay in the abdomen only. Therefore, there are fewer side effects on other body parts.
Candidates for HIPEC
HIPEC is effective in treating cancers which have spread to the abdomen. Conditions, which can be treated with HIPEC are:
Side effects of HIPEC
There are some side effects associated with Hyperthermic Intraperitonial Chemotherapy (HIPEC). The most common side effect is restrained from eating and drinking. A patient will be given nutrition through a feeding tube. This is done to speed up the recovery process of the
digestive system from the powerful dose of chemotherapy drugs.