Abstract
Up to now, the prognosis of peritoneal carcinomatosis from GI tract cancers remains very poor. Intraperitoneal hyperthermic chemotherapy has been proposed in the prevention or treatment of peritoneal carcinomatosis. The rationale for this locoregional approach comes from a better knowledge of the physiopathology of the disease. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy achieves high local drug concentration with limited systemic toxicity. It should be performed during or immediately after surgery to be effective towards microscopic residual tumor cells. A synergistic cytotoxic effect has been demonstrated when heat is combined with antineoplastic drugs. Intraperitoneal hyperthermic chemotherapy might not be regarded as the panacée but as a promising step in the management of peritoneal carcino-matosis.
Some randomized studies of gastric cancer with macroscopic serosal invasion have suggested the efficacy of hyper-thermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy for the prevention of peritoneal carcinomatosis. In patients with peritoneal carci-nomatosis, some studies suggest, in selected cases, the positive effect of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy on survival, when combined with cytoreductive surgery.
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Notes on contributors
B. Detroz
Bernard Detroz MD Department of Abdominal surgery CHU Sart-Tilman-B35 4000 Liege, Belgium Tel.: +32 4 366 76 45 Fax: +32 4 366 70 69 E-mail: [email protected]