Today, different methods are used in cancer treatment. However, despite surgery and additional treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy, the disease is not limited to the organ in which it originates, but can also spread to other abdominal organs and to the membranes called peritoneum that surround the abdominal internal organs and cover the abdominal wall.
Drugs administered intravenously to the patient cannot reach the level to affect the intra-abdominal organ surfaces and abdominal wall contaminated with cancer, and the treatment may be insufficient.
Among these treatments, one method may be the combination of intra-abdominal chemotherapy applications and surgery and intra-abdominal Hot Chemotherapy (HIPEC). Hot Chemotherapy is the name given to the method of applying cancer drugs into the abdomen during surgery. In this treatment, which must be decided on with a multidisciplinary approach (oncologist, surgeon, radiologist, etc.), all cancer cells can be eliminated by combining surgery and heated chemotherapy applied to the abdominal cavity. These procedures can also be performed laparoscopically and at normal room temperature. When Hot Chemotherapy is added to surgery, it is aimed to extend the survival time of the patients and even to fully recover from this disease
How is it applied?
All organs affected by cancer in the abdomen ( The surgery for complete or nearly complete tumor removal by removing the fatty gland of the abdomen, peritoneum, ovaries, large intestine, gallbladder, stomach, spleen, etc.) and the peritoneum (abdominal membrane) covering the abdominal wall, leaving no visible tumor tissue, is called cytoreductive surgery. surgery is performed. Then, with the help of drains placed in the abdomen and a chemotherapy pump, the inside of the abdomen is treated with heated chemotherapy drugs. At the end of this procedure, the chemotherapy fluid given to the abdomen is taken back and the surgery is terminated.
Why are the drugs given by heating?
Chemotherapy drugs can be administered at normal room temperature or by heating. Intra-abdominal chemotherapy applications at normal temperatures are generally performed before and after surgery. Applying heated chemotherapy increases the effectiveness of the drug by facilitating its penetration into the tumor tissue. However, high temperature itself It has an anti-tumor effect.
Which types of cancer are treated?
The most common cancer of the abdominal membrane, called peritoneum, and the organs surrounded by the peritoneum, ovarian cancer in women. It is applied in appendix (appendicitis cancer or Pseudomyxoma Peritonei), colon and rectum cancer.
In which case is it not performed?
This treatment is applied to tissues and organs outside the abdomen. It is not done when cancer has spread to organs such as lungs, bones and brain. If there is spread in the liver in the form of 3 or fewer removable foci, Hot Chemotherapy can be applied. However, in case of widespread liver involvement, the procedure is not performed.
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