Aggressive Therapy Shows Hope for Peritoneal Mesothelioma Patients

Repeating an aggressive procedure that removes recurring cancer tumors from a patient's abdominal cavity and bathes the area in a heated chemotherapy solution is extending the lives of some peritoneal mesothelioma patients. A recent retrospective analysis of 161 peritoneal mesothelioma patients at the Washington Cancer Institute shows those who repeated cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) two or three times after the initial procedure are living five, 10 or more years beyond their prognosis. The median overall survival rate at the cancer institute was 77 months for those undergoing an initial CRS and HIPEC treatment, and 55 months for those who repeated the procedure. "The second procedure is almost like resetting the clock," Washington Cancer Institute surgeon Chukwuemeka Ihemelandu, M.D., told Asbestos.com. "Recurrence does not mean you are nearing the end. There is the option of undergoing a second, or even third, procedure. We've proven it can be done safely." The analysis, which examined all patients from 1989 to 2012 at the cancer center, was published last month in Annals of Surgical Oncology. Explaining the Process Peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare, aggressive cancer that starts in the thin layer of tissue that surrounds the abdominal organs. It is caused by the ingestion of microscopic asbestos fibers. Without treating it aggressively, the typical life expectancy is only 6-12 months. It is diagnosed in an estimated 1,000...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Research & Clinical Trials Source Type: news