Analysis of operative morbidity in a single center initial experience with cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal carcinomatosis has been traditionally considered a rapidly lethal disease and consequently managed by merely palliative options. In the last decade, the clinical interest in the condition has increased because encouraging results have been reported in association with a new treatment strategy that combines cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Relatively high rates of severe complications are generally associated to this complex procedure. Our aim was to analyze treatment-related morbidity in our institutional initial experience. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Since October 2006, 36 hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy plus cytoreductive surgery procedures have been carried out in our Department. Patients treated showed abdominal malignancies and ovarian cancer with peritoneal carcinomatosis. Only 9 patients were treated with prophylactic treatment for gastric cancer at high risk to develop peritoneal carcinomatosis. RESULTS: In 27 patients, a macroscopically complete cytoreduction was done. The overall morbidity was 75%. Grades IV and V represented only 11.1%. CONCLUSIONS: Rigorous preoperative workup and strict selection criteria allowed a successful safe start of a new program of cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in a general surgery unit.

Preliminary results of prophylactic HIPEC in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: The prognosis of locally advanced Gastric Cancer following surgical therapy alone is poor. Peritoneum represents a preferential site of dissemination in such neoplasm. Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has been used in association with cytoreductive surgery (CRS) in the treatment of GC peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC). Aim of our preliminary experience is reporting our data on prophylactic HIPEC (P-HIPEC) in patients with GC at high risk of developing PC. METHODS: Eleven patients underwent P-HIPEC at our General and Emergency Surgery Department. All the patients were affected of high risk GC: serosa invasive tumors (T4), conventional cytology-positive or quantitative PCR detection of CEA mRNA on peritoneal lavage. Seven subtotal and four total gastrectomies with D2 or D2+ were performed. All the anastomoses were made before HIPEC. The procedure was carried out for 60 minutes with Mytomicin C and Cisplatin in all patients. Post-operative monitoring in Intensive Care Unit least for 24-48 hours. Oral nutrition was started precociously (day 5) also according with bowel movements and stool/gas passage. Follow-up took place in all patients at 1 month from surgery then every 6 months for 2 years and every 12 months for the following years. RESULTS: In four patients a neoadjuvant treatment was scheduled due to T or N stage at pre-operative evaluation. Gastric resection was guided on tumor location while the choice of performing a D2 or D2 + lymphadenectomy was up to preoperative imaging and intra-operative nodal status. No intra-operative complications were recorded. Median operation time was 398 minutes. In our series we recorded 20 adverse events. Median number for each patient was 1 adverse effect (range 0-2). Eight patients experienced a surgical adverse effect (G2-G3) that did not require any surgical treatment. Only one patient with duodenal stump dehiscence and intra-abdominal sepsis (G4-G5) underwent re-operation and died for severe hemorrhagic pancreatitis. Another patient died for ARDS. Per-operative mortality was 18%. Both patients were older then 70 years old. Median hospital stay was 14 days. Median follow-up was 15.9 months. Median survival was 29.6 months and median DFS was 20 months. Only one patient developed a peritoneal recurrence at 12 months and died for disease progression. Seven patients are still alive and disease free at last follow-up. One patient affected of variable immunodeficiency died at 9 months for pulmonary sepsis without any sign of local recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Peritoneal dissemination appears to be a strong determinant in defining GC patients prognosis. Even after curative resection, peritoneal recurrence develops in about 60% of the patients with T3 and T4 tumors, and up to 40% of resected gastric cancer patients die as a direct result of peritoneal dissemination. Clinical trials showed that surgery plus HIPEC was associated with a significant improvement in survival compared to surgery alone in patients affected of GC with resectable PC. At present day there are not studies evaluating the role of P-HIPEC in patients at high risk of developing PC. The rationale of P-HIPEC is based on the concept that positive peritoneal lavage is considered an M1 (stage IV) similarly to macroscopic PC by the 7th TNM classification. Also analogous is the median survival of this 2 groups of patients. Detection of peritoneal micrometastases with cytologic examination has been considered a major method to predict peritoneal recurrences; the sensitivity of this assay is low. Recently, molecular approaches using real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique has made possible the increase in the sensitivity. We can conclude, although the preliminary experience, that prophylactic HIPEC in locally advanced gastric cancer is feasible, increasing median survival compared to surgery alone. For sure this procedure need to be performed in the highly specialized centres strongly respecting the eligibility criteria.

Identification of a subgroup of patients at highest risk for complications after surgical cytoreduction and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the influence of parietal and visceral peritonectomy procedures on moderate/severe morbidity in patients undergoing surgical cytoreducion and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) and to identify subgroups of patients at highest operative risk. BACKGROUND: Cytoreducion with HIPEC is an effective but potentially morbid treatment option for peritoneal surface malignancies. Although complication rates have recently decreased with increasing experience, risk-factors for adverse operative outcome are still poorly understood. METHODS: A prospective database of 426 combined procedures was reviewed. Multivariate analysis tested the correlation between major morbidity and 6 peritonectomies (greater and lesser omentectomy, pelvic, parietal anterior, left and right diaphragmatic peritonectomy), 14 visceral resections, 5 other operative factors, and 12 clinical variables. The extent of peritoneal involvement was quantified by peritoneal cancer index (PCI). RESULTS: Mortality and major morbidity were 2.6% and 28.2%. PCI, number of visceral resections, poor performance status, and cisplatin dose more than 240 mg independently correlated to morbidity. The type and number of parietal peritonectomies and the type of visceral resections did not correlated to complications. Major morbidity rate was 65.7% in 35 (8.2%) patients with at least 2 of the following factors: PCI greater than 30, more than 5 visceral resections, poor performance status. Morbidity was 100% in 9 patients presenting all the risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Acceptable morbidity and low mortality may be achieved in high-volume centers. Operative outcome is mainly affected by a complex interplay of tumor, patient, and treatment-related factors. Preoperative and early intraoperative assessment of operative risk may identify a subset of patients unlikely to tolerate aggressive management.

Peritoneal sarcomatosis: is there a subset of patients who may benefit from cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy?

BACKGROUND: Unlike novel molecular-targeted therapies for metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), conventional treatments for peritoneal sarcomatosis (PS) are mostly ineffective. As with carcinomatosis of epithelial origin, a rationale base supports an aggressive locoregional treatment of PS, but the use of CRS and HIPEC in this setting is still controversial. We assessed the outcome of clinically and pathologically homogeneous subsets of patients with PS uniformly treated by cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). METHODS: A prospective database of 37 patients who underwent CRS and close-abdomen HIPEC with cisplatin and doxorubicin or mitomycin-C was reviewed. PS originated from GIST (pre-imatinib era) in 8 patients, uterine leiomyosarcoma (ULS) in 11, retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RPLP) in 13, and other sarcoma in 5. RESULTS: CRS was macroscopically complete in 28 patients (75.7%). Operative mortality was 3.7% and morbidity 21.6%. After median follow-up of 104 (range, 1-131) months, peritoneal disease progression occurred in 16 patients, distant metastases in 5, and both in 13. For all patients, median overall survival was 26.2 months; 7 patients were alive at 46-130 months (ULS, n = 4; RPLP, n = 2; GIST, n = 1). RPLP had the best overall survival (median, 34 months) but 100% peritoneal relapse; GIST had dismal overall, local-regional-free and distant-free survival; ULS had the higher proportion of long survivors and best local-regional-free survival. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, results of CRS and HIPEC did not compare favorably to those of conventional therapy. In a subgroup analysis, the combined approach did not change GIST and RPLS natural history. The interesting results with ULS may warrant further investigations.

[Preliminary experience on the application of metallic stents for treatment of colorectal malignant stenosis]. / Esperienza preliminare nell'applicazione degli stent metallici autoespandibili per il trattamento delle stenosi maligne colo-rettali.

OBJECTIVE: Application of SEMS in treating colorectal obstruction caused by both intrinsic and extrinsic tumours. METHODS: From December 2007 to February 2008 two patient underwent colorectal stenting. The first patient was affected by sigma neoplasia with multiple lung and liver metastases; the second one had a distal colonic obstruction caused by pelvic relapse of endometrial adenocarcinoma. RESULTS: In both patients successful decompression, defined as complete relief of bowel obstruction as judged by clinical symptoms and radiographic observation, was achieved. The first patient died 1 month later for disease progression after the I cycle with Capecitabine. The second patient is undergoing the II cycle with Adriamicina and Cisplatino. DISCUSSION: In our experience no precocious or posthumous complications were observed and we evaluated that SEMSs are useful in both intrinsic and extrinsic colorectal malignancies. CONCLUSIONS: SEMSs allow a rapid decompression, reduce the number of emergency surgical procedures--and also the need for stomas--in poor general condition patients, achieving a better quality of life for patient with a short estimated life and a one-stage elective surgery for patient with resectable disease.