Peritonectomy combined with intraperitoneal chemohyperthermia in abdominal cancer with peritoneal carcinomatosis: Phase I-II study

Objective: To evaluate the feasability and the tolerance of Peritonectomy Procedure (PP) combined with Intraperitoneal Chemohyperthermia (IPCH) in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis, a phase I-II study has been realised fi om January 1997 to September 1998. Methods: Eigtheen patients were included for peritoneal carcinomatosis from colrectal cancer (13), ovarian cancer (2) gallbladder cancer (1), gastric cancer (I) and peritoneal mesothelioma (I). Peritoneal carcinomatosis were mainly advanced disease (16 stage 3 and 4, 2 stage 2). All the patients underwent surgical resection of their primary tumor with PP as described by Sugarbaker and IPCH (with Mitomycin C, Cisplatinum or both). IPCH used in this study was a "closed sterile circuit" device with inflow temperatures ranging from 46 to 48 degrees C. IPCH was performed on the same day as PP (8118) or delayed (10/18). Results: Significant down-staging of peritoneal carcinomatosis was achieved for 16 patients. One patient died postoperatively, while the morbidity rate was 6/18 (long postoperative ileus, grade 3 leucopenia and anastomotic leakage). Conclusions: Combination of PP and IPCH could achieve significant tumoral volume reduction in peritoneal carcinomatosis. This aggressive treatment must be employed selectively because of its morbidity. Larger phase III studies are now needed.