Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy during primary tumour resection limits extent of bowel resection compared to two-stage treatment

Abstract

Aim: To compare the clinical outcome of a one-stage, primary tumour resection and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) procedure, versus a two-stage procedure of tumour resection and secondary HIPEC in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with synchronous peritoneal carcinomatosis.

Methods: A prospective database of all patients treated with HIPEC in the St. Antonius Hospital in the Netherlands between 2005 and 2012 was analysed.

Results: A total of 72 patients with synchronous peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) from CRC were included. In 20 patients (27.8%) the primary tumour was resected simultaneously with HIPEC (early referral). In the other 52 patients (72.2%) the primary tumour was resected prior to the HIPEC procedure (late referral). During CRS + HIPEC following late referral, 22 (59.5%) of the 37 anastomoses of the earlier operation were resected, revealing malignancy in 12 (54.5%) on histopathological examination. In twenty (27.8%) patients a permanent colostomy was constructed after HIPEC. Ten of these patients had complete bowel continuity after earlier primary resection. The relaparotomy rate was higher in patients after a resection of a previous anastomosis (36.4%) compared to 12% in the rest of the patients (P = 0.02).

Conclusions: Resection of the primary tumour simultaneously with HIPEC in patients with synchronous PC from CRC may prevent extended bowel resections and permanent colostomy. Our data support early referral of patients with PC from colorectal cancer.

Keywords: Antineoplastic agents; Colorectal neoplasms; Humans; Hyperthermia; Peritoneal neoplasms; Treatment outcome.