...........................................................................................................................................................................

What is Intraperitoneal Hyperthermic Chemotherapy (IPHC)?

When cancer recurs or when it is not diagnosed until it is in an advanced stage, an oncologist might recommend chemotherapy or radiation treatment, plus more surgery, to aggressively pursue the malignancy. However, chemotherapy given intravenously or by mouth cannot always reach or adequately affect gynecological cancer cells.

In recent years, another method of delivering chemotherapy to the abdominal region, Intraperitoneal Hyperthermic Chemotherapy (IPHC), has been used following surgery for select, advanced cases of gynecological cancer. For many of these patients, only palliative (pain relieving) options remain.

Benefits of IPHC

Intraperitoneal Hyperthermic Chemotherapy (IPHC) is a promising approach to the treatment of advanced abdominal and gynecological cancers. IPHC can be either curative or palliative, depending on the type of tumor and how much of the tumor can be removed surgically. In cases where the tumor is completely removed, IPHC can also be used as adjuvant therapy to try to keep the tumor from recurring.

Used immediately following cytoreductive surgery, IPHC has improved the quality of life and increased the lifespan of some cancer patients.

IPHC can be beneficial for several reasons:

A chemotherapy bath can access many hard-to-reach areas. Many residual abdominal cancer cells are located within the peritoneum, the membrane lining of the abdominal and pelvic cavities. When chemotherapy bathes the abdominal region, it has the ability to reach many irregular and complex surfaces.

Cancer cells are more responsive to heated chemotherapy.

During IHPP, the chemotherapeutic drug is heated up to about 100 Fahrenheit. Studies have shown that when chemotherapeutic agents such as adriamycin, melphalan, mitomycin C, cisplatin, and bleomycin are warmed, cancer cells are more responsive to their cytotoxic effects.

Regional chemotherapy goes only where its needed.

Chemotherapy is a toxic and powerful drug. IPHC is a method of regional chemotherapy, meaning that it is directed to the area where it is needed, rather than travel throughout the entire body.

IPHC is a safe technique.

IPHC is a straightforward procedure that has few potential risks. It does extend the time a patient spends under anesthesia, however, so patients in a frail condition or with other health problems may not be candidates for IPHC.