HIPEC at Emory

As a patient with appendix cancer, your best long-term outcome will be achieved with a comprehensive, coordinated approach that incorporates all available therapies.

Your Winship care team draws on Emory’s vast resources in surgical oncology, radiation therapy and medical oncology, to provide the newest, most effective practices and treatments. Our multidisciplinary care teams include oncology surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, pharmacists and advanced practice nurses with expertise in appendiceal cancer.

As specialists, our teams develop groundbreaking surgeries and treatments that produce better outcomes and are adopted by other leading cancer centers.
The benefits of our multidisciplinary and highly experienced teams include:

• Access to doctors and surgeons who rank among the top experts in the world.
• Weekly review of patient cases by the full team of experts.
• Coordinated scheduling for appointments among various specialties.
• Access to a nurse navigator to assist you throughout the treatment process.
• Access to support groups and education classes for you and your caregivers.
• Availability of new treatment options within our clinical trials program.

Your Treatment Options

Your individualized treatment plan will take into account the stage of your disease, your overall health, the side effects of the treatment, and relieving symptoms.

Your care team will discuss treatment options with you and it is important to take time and consider all possible choices. It is also important to know that your chances for having the best possible outcome are highest in the hands of a medical team that is experienced in treating appendix cancer.

For carcinoid tumors:

Surgery is the main treatment method for appendix cancer. An operation may be done to remove the appendix, right colon and surrounding lymph nodes. Chemotherapy may be used in combination with surgery to maximize the treatment.

For non-carcinoid tumors:

In these types of tumors, the cancer has spread or metastasized within the abdomen. Several different methods may be used during treatment.
Cytoreductive surgery: the tumor is surgically removed along with parts of the intestine, gallbladder, lining of the abdomen and for women, the ovaries and uterus are also removed.

Heated intraperitoneal chemoperfusion or HIPEC may be used to treat advanced cancers involving the lining of the abdominal cavity such as appendiceal cancer. HIPEC is a chemotherapy procedure designed to kill any remaining cancer cells once all visible signs of the disease are removed surgically. The HIPEC procedure follows surgical removal of the tumor and is used in the treatment of pseudomyxoma peritoneal, a condition caused by mucinous adenocarcinoma, or cancerous cells that produce abundant mucin.

Winship surgical oncologist Charles Staley, MD describes the HIPEC procedure.

For adenocarcinoid tumors:

Treatment may include surgery to remove the right part of the colon, cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC, and chemotherapy before surgery.

Winship’s most promising research in treating appendix cancer is in personalized medicine and targeted therapies. In personalized medicine, researchers identify unique characteristics of tumors that make them vulnerable to known drugs so therapy can be tailored to an individual’s cancer. In targeted therapies, investigators look for new drugs that more selectively target cancer cells with fewer side effects.

Supportive Oncology Care

In addition to delivering the highest quality medical care, we recognize the importance of the psychological and emotional aspects of living with a cancer diagnosis and of dealing with treatment. Our supportive oncology team addresses these issues in a timely manner with additional support from counselors, nurse navigators, dietitians and social service professionals.