Is Hot Chemotherapy the New Hope for Advanced Stage Cancer Patients?

When Hot Chemotherapy is used in the treatment of intra-abdominal cancers, it can also prolong the life expectancy of stage 4 patients. Gastroenterology Surgery Specialist, who gave important information, said, “In the past, a life expectancy of 6-12 months was predicted in stage 4 cancers, while 5-year survival in large bowel cancers increased up to 40 percent with Hot Chemotherapy.”

Yeditepe University Hospitals Gastroenterology Surgery Specialist, who gave information about Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEK), known as "Hot Chemotherapy" among the people, pointed out that the procedure is different from normal chemotherapy. Our specialist said, “Hot Chemotherapy is a procedure performed during surgery. We generally apply it in cancers of the ovary, large intestine, intraperitoneal membrane, appendix, and stomach. In Hot Chemotherapy, we give medication to the appropriate patient for 45 minutes to 2 hours. It is a different approach than regular chemotherapy. Normal chemotherapy is a form of chemotherapy administered intravenously.”

We Aim to Destroy Tumors That Are Too Small to Be Seen with the Naked Eye

Our specialist said, “Normal chemotherapy is usually administered to patients after surgery and wound healing. This is not the case with Hot Chemotherapy. We apply it while the patient is in surgery where we remove the tumors. We give Hot Chemotherapy into the abdomen to destroy tumors that are too small to be seen with the naked eye. We wash the inside of the abdomen. We aim to destroy tumors smaller than 2 millimeters by penetrating them. It is an important criterion that the general condition of the patients is good enough to tolerate the surgery and this chemotherapy.”

Life Expectancy Is Getting Longer

Yeditepe University Koşuyolu Hospital Gastroenterology Surgery Specialist stated that the life expectancy after treatment is prolonged with "Hot Chemotherapy" and continued as follows: “While a life expectancy of 6-12 months was predicted in the 4th stage cancers, 5-year survival in large bowel cancers increased up to 40 percent with hot chemotherapy. In appendiceal tumors, this rate increased to 90 percent for 5 years of life. In ovarian cancers, it increased to 80%.”