Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a two-step procedure that treats certain cancers in the abdomen. Cancerous tumors are surgically removed, and towards the end of the surgery, chemotherapy heated to 108 degrees is pumped into the patient’s abdominal cavity for about 90 minutes to kill any remaining microscopic cancer cells.
Afterwards, the chemotherapy is drained, and the incision is closed. Patients who undergo this treatment spend about five days in the hospital and then it takes another six weeks to recover. Abdominal cancer treatment HIPEC can be used to treat several types of metastatic or Stage IV cancers in the abdominal cavity including:
- Appendix cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Mesothelioma
- Ovarian cancer
- Stomach cancer
For patients who are good candidates for HIPEC, they only undergo the surgery one time. However, it can be used in conjunction with other cancer treatments including immunotherapy.
Smilow Cancer Hospital physicians are national leaders in the delivery of HIPEC therapy. Our multidisciplinary team includes skilled surgeons, oncologists, palliative care physicians, gastroenterologists, radiologists, pathologists, dietitians, oncology nurses, and scientists. Because HIPEC provides a localized, targeted concentration of chemotherapy, systemic side effects are minimized, and the outlook can be promising for patients with advanced cancers.
Patients are welcome with a referral or for an appointment. For more information, please call 203-785-3577.
Our gastroenterologists have highly specialized expertise in evaluating the pancreas and performing fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsies of pancreatic tumors. A minimally invasive alternative to exploratory surgery, the combination of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and FNA offers our patients the most state-of-the-art method for pancreatic biopsies. The interventional endoscopy team also has expertise in the performance of ERCP, an endoscopic procedure that evaluates the pancreas and bile ducts and can alleviate jaundice with stenting of the bile duct.
Following a biopsy procedure, our pathologists provide skilled evaluation of tissue biopsies to determine a tumor's aggressiveness and to assist in the staging of the disease in conjunction with the findings of specialized CT scans and EUS. The optimal treatment plan for each patient is developed by a multidisciplinary tumor board, which includes medical, surgical, and radiation oncologists, pathologists, gastroenterologists and geneticists.
Various surgical techniques are considered for each patient before determining the best option; this varies based on the location of the tumor, stage of the disease, and the patient's overall health. Our surgeons have extensive experience in performing surgery for gastrointestinal cancers. Current operative techniques and careful attention to the postoperative management in and outside of the hospital optimizes the opportunity for our patients' complete recovery.
Chemotherapy is often recommended following surgical removal of a tumor to prevent the disease from returning or to delay its return. Chemotherapy is also prescribed to treat patients with advanced or metastatic disease. Our medical oncology team provides experience and knowledge of innovative treatment options and investigational therapies for gastrointestinal cancers.
Yale Cancer Center is a major national research center for the development of novel therapies for late stage pancreatic cancer and provides our patients with access to the newest therapies available through clinical trials. Our medical oncologists are also searching for novel combinations of chemotherapies and targeted therapies to further improve the treatment outcomes for pancreatic cancer. Our goal is to help patients live the longest possible time with the best quality of life.
Radiation therapy is often used to treat patients who are not eligible for surgery or to shrink the tumor prior to surgery in combination with chemotherapy. Patients who are cared for through the Gastrointestinal Cancers Program at Smilow Cancer Hospital and need radiation oncology as a component of their prescribed treatment can feel confident that they are receiving the highest quality care from the most experienced team of radiation oncologists in Connecticut.
