HIPEC(Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy) Successfully Cured a Patient with End Stage of Colorectal Cancer with Peritoneal Metastasis by Multidisciplinary Team, CHA Bundang Medical Center
The patient of appendix cancer with peritoneal metastasis was cured completely through HIPEC for the first time in Korea
Patient Ms. A (age 58, female) was diagnosed with the end stage of colon cancer in 2016. She was under bad condition since her colon cancer was started from appendix cancer and metastasized to peritoneum. In October 2016, she underwent emergency surgery for perforation and multiple tumors in peritoneum due to colon. Then, chemotherapy and colon cancer multidisciplinary treatment was proceeded and she had cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC in April 2017. It’s the first case of Korea that HIPEC was used to cure colon cancer with peritoneal metastasis completely.
HIPEC perfuses anticancer drugs with heat into abdominal cavity to kill cancerous tumors which are vulnerable to heat
HIPEC kills the cancer cells which are remained after tumor resection of colorectal cancer with peritoneal metastasis which are considered to have poor prognosis. This treatment is based on the fact that the cancer cell is vulnerable to heat. It pumps heated anticancer drug, Mitomycin into the abdominal cavity. It is known to increase the survival rate of patients with peritoneal metastasis who have HIPEC after cytoreductive surgery of abdomen because it is able to remove very tiny lesions.
HIPEC can make good result, however, there are some considerations before performing it. The surgery takes at least 10 hours, including tumor resection, and the process is pretty tough. The capacity and skill of surgeons, health condition of patient and pre/postoperative cares should be thoroughly considered in advance of operating HIPEC.
The team of Dr. Kim, Woo Ram of general surgery department successfully operated HIPEC to a patient with appendiceal cancer patient and peritoneal metastasis
The patient Ms. A, who have recovered health by HIPEC and general surgery Dr. Kim, Woo Ram and the multidisciplinary team are gathered for the celebration in CHA Bundang Medical Center.
The patient, Ms. A, who completely got cured after HIPEC, said, “I was very frustrated when I was diagnosed with the end stage of colon cancer and peritoneal metastasis. However, through the multidisciplinary care, the doctors explained about the treatment in details and after I had HIPEC by Dr. Kim, I recovered my health. I want other cancer patients to have aggressive treatment without giving up as well.”
Colorectal or appendiceal cancer with peritoneal metastasis is difficult to be cured with existing treatment, however, when it is performed with cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC, it extended five-year survival rate to 20-30% and average of survival time to 42 months, according to the clinical report in the US and Europe. Ms. A’s case proved once again that HIPEC can be a hopeful treatment to the patients with colorectal cancer with peritoneal metastasis.