What cancers can be treated with PIPAC?

Pressurized Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (PIPAC) is used to treat cancers that have spread to the peritoneal surfaces in the abdomen. Similar to Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC), it can be used with multiple cancer types in the peritoneal space.

Colorectal Carcinoma

Cancer that forms in the colon. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer diagnosed in the United States. Unfortunately, up to 20% of new CRC cases have metastases at the time of diagnosis. The most common sites of metastatic disease in CRC are the liver, lung, and peritoneum. Close to 5% of patients with CRC will present with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC). One of the many challenges of treating PC in stage IV CRC patients is drug delivery. It is often difficult to attain adequate drug levels within the peritoneum. If chemotherapy doses are subsequently increased in attempts to raise drug concentrations, the patient is exposed to more systemic side effects. PIPAC aims to deliver chemotherapy directly to the peritoneum, which can increase local drug concentrations, as well as reduce the total systemic exposure from the chemotherapy.

Gastric Carcinoma

Cancer that has spread to the lining surfaces of the peritoneal (abdominal) cavity from primary colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer, gastric cancer, appendiceal cancer or from mesothelioma and pseudomyxoma peritonei, known as peritoneal carcinomatosis, are such cancers.

Ovarian Carcinoma

Cancer that forms in the tissue of the ovary, whether as a primary cancer or cancer that has started from another area (metastatic) can be treated with PIPAC. Cancer that has spread to the lining surfaces of the peritoneal (abdominal) cavity from primary colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer, gastric cancer, appendiceal cancer or from mesothelioma and pseudomyxoma peritonei, known as peritoneal carcinomatosis, are such cancers.

Appendiceal Carcinoma

A rare type of cancer that develops in the appendix, a small, finger-shaped organ attached to the large intestine. Encompasses a wide range of biological aggressiveness with many behaving like Psuedomyxoma Peritonei and some like colorectal cancer.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer that occurs in the thin layer of tissue that covers the majority of the internal organs (mesothelium). This cancer most often affects the tissue that surrounds the lungs (pleura), but it can also affect tissue in the abdomen and around the heart. When diagnosed at an early stage, mesothelioma can possibly be cured by surgical removal. But when this is not possible, surgery can instead help to reduce the signs and symptoms caused by the disease.