Systemic treatment of patients with metachronous peritoneal carcinomatosis of colorectal origin

Combining chemotherapy and targeted therapies has resulted in an enhanced survival in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients. However, the result of this palliative treatment in patients with metachronous peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) remains unknown. The current population-based study aims to investigate the use and effect of palliative systemic treatment in patients with metachronous PC of colorectal origin. Data on metachronous PC were collected between 2010 and 2011 for all patients who were diagnosed with M0 colorectal cancer between 2003 and 2008 in the Dutch Eindhoven Cancer Registry. Patient demographics and detailed data on chemotherapeutic treatment were collected and compared. Ninety-two patients with metachronous PC received chemotherapy in a palliative setting compared to 94 patients without treatment. In 36 patients, Bevacizumab was added to the treatment (39%). Overall survival was 3.4, 13 and 20.3 months in the no treatment, systemic treatment and systemic treatment + Bevacizumab respectively (P < 0.001). Male gender was a positive predictor and right sided primary tumor location a negative predictor of receiving bevacizumab. Approximately 40% of patients with metachronous PC received bevacizumab in addition to chemotherapy. Treatment with systemic chemotherapy in combination with bevacizumab may increase survival in a patients with metachronous colorectal PC.