Allegheny Health Network
314 East North Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
Dr. Suzanne Schiffman
Hepatobiliary Surgery
Dr. David L. Bartlett
Chair of the AHN Cancer Institute
Dr. Patrick Wagner
Surgical Oncologist
HIPEC at AHN
HIPEC is a highly concentrated chemotherapy that is heated, so cancer cells absorb it better. Before you receive HIPEC treatment, your surgeon first removes any visible tumors from the abdomen. A doctor then delivers the HIPEC solution directly to your abdomen to help kill any remaining cancer cells. A special machine helps it circulate throughout the abdominal cavity for up to two hours. Doctors use HIPEC to prevent cancer cells from growing into new tumors.
Advantages of HIPEC
HIPEC treatment can be very effective for people with advanced abdominal cancers because it delivers a high dose of chemotherapy directly to diseased cells. It causes fewer side effects than intravenous chemotherapy because it is placed directly in your abdomen and then washed out. It doesn’t travel through your blood stream.
Is HIPEC right for you?
To find out more about HIPEC treatment, ask your AHN Cancer Institute doctor to connect you with one of our HIPEC specialists.