Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion in combined treatment of locally advanced and disseminated gastric cancer: Results of a single-centre retrospective study

Background: Patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (GC) and/or peritoneal metastases have a poor prognosis despite systemic chemotherapy or palliative surgery. The aim of this retrospective comparative non-randomised study was to evaluate aggressive cytoreduction in combination with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion (HIPEC) as a novel treatment strategy for patients with intraperitoneal disseminated and locally advanced GC.

Patients and methods: Forty-nine GC patients with serosal invasion (n?=?19), limited peritoneal metastases (n?=?20), or disseminated peritoneal metastases and tense ascites (n?=?10) underwent combination therapy with HIPEC. Three matched control groups undergoing standard therapies were retrospectively identified.

Results: Combination therapy for serosa-invasive GC reduced the level of metachronous peritoneal carcinomatosis and increased median survival from 12 months to 22.5 months (p?=?0.001). The median and 1-year survival rates for intraperitoneal disseminated GC patients undergoing therapy with the use of HIPEC were 12 months and 68.8% compared with 8 months and 25%, respectively (p?=?0.004) for control subgroup patients (palliative chemotherapy). The symptomatic use of HIPEC allows effective elimination of recurrent ascites in GC patients.

Conclusion: HIPEC is a well-tolerated and effective method of adjuvant therapy for gastric cancer with high risk of intraperitoneal progression. Cytoreduction followed by HIPEC improves survival in patients with limited peritoneal carcinomatosis of gastric origin.