Cytoreductive surgery and perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis of colonic origin: outcomes after 7 years' experience of a new centre for peritoneal surface malignancies

Introduction Peritoneal carcinomatosis is a relatively frequent situation in the natural history of colorectal cancer and is associated with a dismal prognosis. Promising results have been shown after radical cytoreduction followed by intraperitoneal chemohyperthermic perfusion. The aim our study was to assess the outcomes after treating patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis of colonic origin by means of cytoreductive surgery and intraoperative hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) followed by early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (EPIC). Methods Tumour resection was performed in accordance with the guidelines for oncologic surgery. Selective peritonectomies and remnant nodule electroevaporation were performed with the aim of achieving a complete cytoreduction. Peritoneal perfusion was carried out according to the Coliseum technique at 0.5-1 L/min, and chemotherapy was administered at 42 degrees C for 40-90 min. Mitomycin C 10-12.5 mg/m(2) or oxaliplatin 360 mg/m(2) was used. Postoperative intraperitoneally administered 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) (650 mg/m(2) per day) was given for 5 consecutive days. Results Twenty patients were treated from 2001 to 2008. The mean peritoneal cancer index was 11 (range 2-39). Fifteen patients had undergone complete cytoreductive surgery. The morbidity was 40%. There was one case of death due to bone marrow aplasia. Ten patients had recurrence; five of them underwent salvage surgery. Two patients were treated with a second HIPEC. Actuarial overall survival and progression-free survival were 36% and 30% at 5 years, respectively, with a median follow-up of 18 (range 8-28) months. Conclusions Cytoreductive surgery combined with HIPEC is a feasible technique that might increase patient survival. It represents a potential cure for selected patients who have no other alternatives.