Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC)

In some cases, Malignancies located in the abdomen can only be partially removed or are inoperable altogether. This is especially true if cancer has spread beyond the organ of origin to the lymph nodes and adjacent tissues. A new type of treatment has been developed recently, to offers patients a better quality of life and sometimes even improves the general prognosis: Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy or HIPEC.

What Is HIPEC?

HIPEC treatment combines surgery, heat, and chemotherapy. As part of the treatment, a highly heated chemotherapy solution is applied directly to the abdomen while the patient is in surgery. The chemotherapy is applied directly to the cancer cells instead of circulating through the blood. Heating the solution improves absorption and helps destroy even the tiniest cancer cells that might survive in the abdomen after surgery.

Professor Mordechai Gutman, who performs HIPEC treatments at HMC, has over 20 years of clinical experience with expertise in the field of surgical treatment of metastatic cancer. Prof. Gutman was among the first doctors in Israel to perform the HIPEC treatment.

The Stages of HIPEC Treatment

The treatment combines surgery, heat, and chemotherapy, following these steps:

1. Exploration – an oncological surgeon opens the abdomen in order to explore and evaluate the degree of cancer and its spreading.

2. Debulking or Cytoreduction – at this point the surgeon will remove all visible tumors and damaged tissue.

3. Chemoperfusion – the surgeon will apply a preheated to 42-43Co chemotherapy solution to the abdomen. The chemo-wash takes up to 90 minutes.

4. The solution is drained and the surgical incision is closed.

The Benefits of HIPEC

• Maximal drug absorption with minimal exposure to the rest of the body, allowing to avoid the usual side effects of intravenous chemotherapy. This also enables the patient to receive a higher dose of the drug compared to intravenous treatment.
• The heated solution kills cancer cells more effectively while having fewer effects on normal cells, it also allows the chemotherapy to penetrate a few millimeters and kill cancer cells that cannot be seen.
  Reducing the chance of further cancer spread.

What Types of Cancer Can Be Treated by HIPEC?

HIPEC is used to treat the following types of cancers in its advanced and recurrent stages:

• Appendix (including mucinous adenocarcinoma of the appendix)
• Colon and rectum
• Gastric (stomach)
• Pseudomyxoma Peritonei
• Ovarian cancer
• Sarcoma
• Mesothelioma
• Primary Peritoneal Malignancies

Contact us today to receive more information about the most innovative cancer treatments at Herzliya Medical Center, performed by leading Israeli specialists.