Moffitt Cancer Center
12902 USF Magnolia Drive
Tampa, Fl. 33612
HIPEC at Moffitt Cancer Center
Cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) is a surgical approach that can be used to treat tumors that have spread inside the abdominal cavity – known as peritoneal disease. The combination of surgery and localized chemotherapy has advantages for treating certain types of cancers. Unlike standard chemotherapy, which is given intravenously according to a predetermined schedule of alternating treatments and rest periods, HIPEC is administered in a single session that takes place immediately after the surgical procedure is completed and allows for a higher concentration of the drug to reach the tumor.
How does HIPEC work?
After all visible tumors are surgically removed, a highly concentrated, heated chemotherapy solution is pumped directly into the stomach cavity, where it circulates and targets any remaining cancer cells. HIPEC works for approximately 90 minutes while the patient lies on a special cooling blanket. Afterward, the 108-degree chemo bath is washed away and the surgical incisions are closed.
Who is a candidate for HIPEC?
HIPEC can be used to treat:
HIPEC can also be effective when used as supportive therapy for patients who have a malignant ascites (an accumulation of fluid in the stomach cavity), which is a common side effect of peritoneal tumors.
Benefits of HIPEC
As compared to traditional chemotherapy, HIPEC has several advantages, including:
Fewer side effects – Rather than entering the bloodstream and circulating throughout the entire body, the cancer-fighting medication is delivered directly into the stomach cavity, where the cancer is. As a result, the chemo is less likely to affect healthy tissues and organs.
Greater effectiveness – Also known as “hot chemotherapy,” HIPEC uses high temperatures that cause blood vessels to expand, allowing the medication to penetrate more deeply for better absorption. Also, because the chemo drugs remain confined to the stomach cavity, a higher dose can be administered without causing adverse effects.
A single treatment – Unlike standard chemo, which is delivered intravenously in multiple sessions over several weeks or months, HIPEC is one treatment given in the operating room after cytoreductive surgery.
For some patients, especially those who have an aggressive or difficult-to-treat type of cancer, HIPEC may lead to a better outcome and enhanced quality of life.
Chemotherapy at Moffitt
At Moffitt Cancer Center, a multispecialty team assesses each patient’s needs to determine the best strategy for delivering chemotherapy. Because we believe that informed patients make better treatment decisions, we fully educate each patient about the medications prescribed for him or her, including their purposes and potential side effects as well as any possible alternatives.
Moffitt’s renowned research team is continually investigating the effectiveness of new chemotherapy medications. Through our robust clinical trials program, our patients have opportunities to benefit from promising new drugs, drug combinations and chemotherapy delivery methods before those options are available in other settings. This is just one way that Moffitt is consistently challenging the odds by improving both patient outcomes and quality of life.
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Sean Dineen, Gastrointestinal Oncology Program