HIPEC stands for Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy. It is an advanced cancer treatment that is performed when conventional chemotherapy methods fail to offer relief and progress. This procedure allows your cancer specialist to provide chemotherapy drugs in a heated form. HIPEC surgery is usually done for the treatment of abdominal cancers.
HIPEC chemotherapy is a two-step procedure in which the surgeon first removes the cancer cells followed by chemotherapy drug delivery.
Primarily, HIPEC surgery is utilised for the treatment of cancers in the abdomen cavity. Following cancer can be treated with HIPEC treatment:
The HIPEC procedure is done majorly in two phases – surgery and chemotherapy delivery. This surgery is performed under the effect of anaesthesia. Your surgeon will make an incision on your stomach to access the site of cancer and remove it.
After successfully removing the cancerous cells and diseases nearby tissue, your Hipec doctor inserts a catheter into your abdominal cavity. This catheter is attached to a perfusion machine that heats up chemotherapy drugs. Then the heated chemotherapy drugs are flowed into the abdomen for a few hours.
The total time taken for the HIPEC procedure and chemotherapy delivery is dependent on the stage and spread of cancer.
After the drugs are given, your surgeon drains the abdomen and closes the incision.
Through HIPEC surgery, your doctor is able to reach small areas in the abdomen where cancer may have spread but is inaccessible through surgery alone. HIPEC surgery is a novel technique which has various benefits as compared to conventional chemotherapy. These include:
While HIPEC treatment is safer and provides more comfort compared to traditional chemotherapy, it is also associated with a range of possible risks and side effects. These include:
HIPEC surgery recovery depends upon various factors such as your age, overall health condition and type, stage and spread of cancer. It may take a few months to recover fully from HIPEC treatment.
HIPEC surgery is a latest technique that has been deemed effective for the treatment of abdominal cancers. It is a modular method offering higher success in eligible patients.
No, you will not feel any pain during HIPEC surgery as it is done under the effect of anaesthesia.
HIPEC surgery is indicated specifically for patients in whom cancer has spread only inside the abdomen.
