HIPEC Treatment: Heating Up the Fight Against Mesothelioma
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HIPEC Treatment: Heating Up the Fight Against Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

An elderly woman with malignant mesothelioma had a positive response to HIPEC treatment. HIPEC  stands for hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy. The Journey of Diagnosing Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. It develops in the lining of organs in the body. When it grows in the abdominal cavity, it is called malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. This type of mesothelioma causes symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, weight loss, and fluid build-up in the abdomen. It can take decades after asbestos exposure for mesothelioma symptoms to appear, and it can be hard for doctors to diagnose this cancer. Triumph Over Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma with HIPEC In this case, a 64-year-old woman went to the hospital…

Treatment Combination Used Most for Mesothelioma
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Treatment Combination Used Most for Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is being used by doctors to treat malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) more often. This is the finding of a study published in the Annals of Surgical Oncology. This is promising news because research has shown the CRS-HIPEC can be an effective treatment for patients with MPM. Mesothelioma Caused by Asbestos Exposure MPM is caused by exposure to a toxic material called asbestos. Most doctors believe it is caused from ingestion of asbestos fibers and that microscopic asbestos fibers become embedded in the abdomen. After about 20-50 years, these fibers can cause inflammation and mutations that ultimately caused tumors to form. This cancer occurs in less than 1,000 people in the United States…

Long Term Survival Possible with CRS/HIPEC for Mesothelioma
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Long Term Survival Possible with CRS/HIPEC for Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

There’s hopeful news for peritoneal mesothelioma patients facing the prospect of surgery. A new study on the benefits of cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) finds that both the process and outcomes have improved over time. Cytoreductive surgery refers to any surgery aimed at removing as much cancerous tissue as possible. With peritoneal cancers such as mesothelioma, the surgeons may follow the procedure with a wash of heated chemotherapy drugs into the open body cavity. The goal of HIPEC is to destroy any remaining mesothelioma cells and to help keep new mesothelioma cells from growing. A study of 1,000 cytoreductive surgery/HIPEC patients, 72 of whom had mesothelioma, found that complications have decreased and survival has increased for all of…