Second Round of Cytoreductive Surgery/HIPEC Could Benefit Mesothelioma Patients

Mesothelioma patients could benefit significantly from a second round of cytoreductive surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC), providing a survival advantage over those who do not receive it, according to cancer researchers in Tampa. The study, published in the Annals of Surgical Oncology, shows that researchers at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa discovered that patients with peritoneal mesothelioma, who returned for a second HIPEC procedure, survived for almost three times as long as those who underwent only one procedure. "I don't think you can definitively say it's the way to go for everyone. The sample was small, and there are many variables, but the study suggests this might be a patient's best option," said surgical oncologist Sophie Dessureault, M.D., at Moffitt. "It's definitely something to look at." The procedure involves a debulking surgery that removes as many of the mesothelioma cancer cells as possible throughout the abdominal area. The subsequent HIPEC involves the rinsing or bathing of the entire internal area with a heated, chemotherapy-based solution designed to kill any remaining cancer cells. The solution circulates in the abdomen for almost two hours before it is drained, and the patient leaves the operating room. Procedure Growing More Popular The surgery/HIPEC combination has become popular with a handful of specialists treating peritoneal mesothelioma, a rare but aggressive cancer that is diagnosed in an estimated 1,000 Americ...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Research & Clinical Trials Source Type: news