HIPEC Procedure
What is HIPEC?
HIPEC stands for Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy. It’s a cancer treatment that pumps heated chemotherapy drugs into the abdomen.
Cancer Patients get one very large dose of chemotherapy, but it's not as toxic: that’s because the drugs aren’t injected into the bloodstream, so they don’t move around the body as much as chemotherapy given through an IV.
What Cancers Does It Treat?
HIPEC is used for hard-to-treat or advanced abdominal cancers, such as appendix and colorectal cancer, as well as peritoneal mesothelioma (a cancer of the lining of the abdomen, often caused by breathing in asbestos). It has also shown promise against ovarian and gastric cancer.
If you're considering going abroad for treatments, Cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC can be done in a private clinic in Mexico for these types of cancer:
- Certain types of ovarian cancer
- Certain sarcomas
- Gastric (stomach) cancer
- Mesothelioma
- Peritoneal carcinomatosis
HIPEC: What You Need to Know | Fabian Johnston, M.D.
What Are HIPEC Risks?
Is It a Standard Cancer Treatment?
Researchers are still learning more about the benefits and the respective roles of HIPEC procedures, as providers don’t use it as often as other cancer treatments, such as surgery, radiation therapy, or traditional chemotherapy.
The benefit of this treatment is limited to certain cancers and may not be right for everyone. However, when done by HIPEC specialists, it appeared to be safe and beneficial in patients with peritoneal metastases from uncommon cancer sites of origin and notably rare ovarian carcinomas, according to an empirical research study conducted in 2017.
What is the Success Rate Of HIPEC Surgery?
Mayo Clinic conducted research that used HIPEC to treat almost 50 patients suffering from peritoneal cancer and surface malignancies.
The researchers concluded that with this method, it is possible to cure 25%- 30% of patients completely. "That's a huge improvement over systemic chemotherapy, which is essentially palliative," Dr. Wasif from Mayo Clinic says.
HIPEC consultations is recommended as soon as possible after a patient has been diagnosed with peritoneal carcinomatosis.
The procedure cannot be performed successfully if the patient waited too long. Cancer can spread and grow if the patient waits.
This procedure is often considered by both patients and doctors after the systemic chemotherapy has stopped working.
HIPEC was found to be most effective in treating selected patients with metastatic colon cancer, resectable metastatic appendiceal carcinoma, and peritoneal mesothelioma.
What are the Advantages of Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy?
- Decreased toxic side effects, since 90% of the chemotherapy drugs stay in the abdomen.
- More intense doses of chemotherapy can destroy more cancer cells.
- One treatment session, instead of multiple treatment sessions over several weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
The chemotherapy is heated to approximately 41–43°C (105.8–109.4°F) to enhance its cancer-killing effects and to increase the penetration of the chemotherapy into tissues.
Recovery from HIPEC can take several weeks.
Patients typically stay in the hospital for 1–2 weeks after the procedure and may take 6–12 weeks to fully recover.
In some cases, HIPEC can be repeated if cancer recurs, but this depends on the patient’s condition, the extent of recurrence, and the type of cancer.
The chemotherapy is typically circulated in the abdominal cavity for about 60–90 minutes during the procedure before being drained out.
HIPEC is generally covered by insurance when deemed medically necessary, though coverage can vary based on the insurance provider and the patient's specific circumstances.
Find a clinic offering HIPEC procedure
Learn more about HIPEC procedure
HIPEC Procedure - Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy
HIPEC Surgery for Metastatic GI Cancer
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