The process of cancer care has undergone huge transformations in the past few years, with modern treatments providing new rays of hope to patients suffering from complicated and aggressive cancers. One such innovative therapy is the use of HIPEC. The complicated abbreviation, in short, stands for Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy. HIPEC Cancer Treatment belongs to a specialised form of care aimed at a particular type of cancer that spreads inside the abdominal region. According to my experience, I have felt that the patients have a lack of awareness about the correct treatment method. It leads to inefficient choices that reduce the effectiveness of cancer care. In this blog, I, Dr Sandeep Batra, will educate about HIPEC treatment for a better understanding.
What is HIPEC cancer treatment?
HIPEC is a focused cancer therapy conducted during a surgical procedure. HIPEC involves the direct infusion of heated chemotherapy into the abdominal or pelvic cavity after the removal of apparent cancerous growths during a surgical procedure, as opposed to the conventional method, where chemotherapy is administered throughout the body via the blood circulation system. The purpose of HIPEC is to eradicate the microscopic cancer cells that could not be removed by surgery.
How is HIPEC being performed?
- Cytoreductive Surgery
- First, the surgeon will remove all visible tumours from the abdominal cavity. This procedure is known as cytoreductive (debulking) surgery and represents an important part of the overall success of HIPEC treatment. As per my experience, many of my patients have benefited from this surgical process.
- Heated Chemotherapy Delivery
- After tumour removal, a heated chemotherapy solution is circulated inside the abdomen. After that, moving the solution for 60-90 minutes, the chemotherapy is then drained out, and the operation is considered finished.
- This increases the efficacy of chemically based cancer treatments, so that cancerous cells become better at absorbing the medication due to higher temperatures.
Why is it important to heat the chemotherapy?
- It increases the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents and enhances the penetration of drugs into tissue.
- On the other hand, it increases cancer cell death and reduces damage to the other parts of the body by localising the drug. I feel that heated chemotherapy is one of the most influential ways to treat cancer. Personally, I have seen my patients with an enhanced survival rate because of this treatment process.
What types of cancer can you treat with HIPEC?
- Colorectal cancer.
- Pseudomyxoma peritonei which is also known as a rare type of abdominal cancer.
- Stomach cancer.
- Appendiceal cancer.
What are the benefits of HIPEC treatment?
- It is a targeted treatment and includes low systemic side-effects and enhances survival rates for selected patients.
- Additionally, it works equivalently to multiple doses of chemotherapy, which reduces the cost and time. Personally, I suggest my patients undergo this treatment process as it can influence their physical condition more.
Even if you are undergoing HIPEC Treatment, you need to understand that it can lead to some side effect,s including bowel complications and temporary digestive issues. Along with this, you can experience fatigue, weakness, infection and bleeding. Research is continually being conducted to improve the techniques used in HIPEC, to find new combinations, and to identify patients most suitable to benefit from the treatment.
Depending on the advancements in the area of surgical oncology, the use of HIPEC is becoming essential in the management of comprehensive care in cancer patients. HIPEC cancer treatment is a potent blend of modern surgical and targeted chemotherapeutic approaches and offers hope to patients suffering from cancers of the abdomen. It may not work for every patient, but it is quite effective and helpful in improving the quality of life of carefully chosen patients.
I have helped many of my patients recover from cancer with this treatment procedure. I believe a healthy lifestyle and effective treatment choice can increase your survival rate. I, Dr Sandeep Batra, have been engaged with oncological surgery and have performed this treatment successfully. In this regard, I suggest that if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an abdominal cancer, you must need to connect with a specialised oncologist. Want to know more about the HIPEC cancer treatment process? Connect with Dr Sandeep Batra Now!!