HIPEC for Abdominal Cancer Patients

HIPEC (hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy) is a specialized surgical procedure for some abdominal cancer patients (can include colorectal, appendiceal, ovarian, stomach and primary peritoneal) that involves debulking the tumor and then bathing the abdominal cavity in a heated chemotherapy solution.

When compared to traditional chemotherapy delivery, HIPEC allows for higher doses of chemotherapy to be used. Heating the solution also enhances the power of the chemotherapy, improving absorption of tumors and susceptibility of cancer cells to the chemotherapy. Additionally, because the chemotherapy is kept within the abdomen, it minimizes the rest of the body's exposure to the treatment.