Exploring the Effectiveness of PIPAC for Mesothelioma

Exploring the Effectiveness of PIPAC for Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

A type of treatment called PIPAC has shown promising results in treating mesothelioma in the abdomen. PIPAC is short for pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy. But, some patients stop the treatment before finishing the recommended number of sessions. This limits how effective PIPAC can be in treating the cancer. Researchers in France decided to find out why patients might stop PIPAC treatment early. Treatment for Mesothelioma Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer caused by asbestos. It develops in the lining that covers many of the internal organs of the body. There are approximately 2,000 cases of mesothelioma diagnosed in the United States every year. Signs of mesothelioma might include shortness of breath, chest pain, and weight loss. Treating mesothelioma can…

Korean Cancer Doctors Embrace PIPAC for Mesothelioma
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Korean Cancer Doctors Embrace PIPAC for Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

Five out of ten Korean oncologists surveyed feel positive about using an aerosolized chemotherapy system called PIPAC for mesothelioma and other types of cancer. PIPAC stands for pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy. The system turns liquid chemotherapy drugs into a spray that can be applied with a nebulizer. It was developed to treat surface malignancies like peritoneal mesothelioma that can be hard to treat with standard methods.  PIPAC can be used in conjunction with mesothelioma surgery or by itself as either a palliative or curative treatment.  The technology is still very new. Many doctors have never used it. But research conducted by the Seoul National University College of Medicine shows Korean doctors are ready to embrace it. How Spray-on Chemotherapy Works…

Chemotherapy Spray Could Make Surgery Possible for More Peritoneal Mesothelioma Patients

Chemotherapy Spray Could Make Surgery Possible for More Peritoneal Mesothelioma Patients

ByAlex Strauss

A technique that turns anti-cancer drugs into a chemotherapy spray could be a breakthrough for some peritoneal mesothelioma patients who were told they were not candidates for surgery.  The procedure is called PIPAC. It stands for pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy. It allows doctors to apply cancer-killing medication directly to the site of peritoneal mesothelioma tumors.  A new French study suggests that the chemotherapy spray, in combination with systemic chemotherapy, can shrink some tumors enough to completely remove them – even if doctors did not initially think resection was possible.  The study tracked several cases of successful surgery after standard chemotherapy and PIPAC. The retrospective study shows patients who had surgery experienced much longer progression-free survival than those who did not. …

Unresectable Peritoneal Mesothelioma Becomes Operable After Bi-Directional Chemotherapy
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Unresectable Peritoneal Mesothelioma Becomes Operable After Bi-Directional Chemotherapy

ByAlex Strauss

French researchers have successfully operated on a man with unresectable peritoneal mesothelioma after treating him with bi-directional chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is the most common treatment for unresectable peritoneal mesothelioma. Most mesothelioma patients have chemotherapy by IV infusion. But some cancer centers now offer another chemotherapy delivery method. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy bypasses the bloodstream. It lets doctors put higher doses of cancer-killing medicine at the site of a tumor. The French team combined the two types of chemotherapy in one patient. It shrunk the patient’s unresectable peritoneal mesothelioma tumor enough to perform surgery.  Two Types of Mesothelioma Chemotherapy With IV chemotherapy, medicine travels to the tumor through the bloodstream. It is one way of treating unresectable peritoneal mesothelioma. One drawback of IV chemotherapy…

PIPAC May Make More Patients Candidates for Mesothelioma Surgery
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PIPAC May Make More Patients Candidates for Mesothelioma Surgery

ByAlex Strauss

Researchers in France have come up with a way to turn some people with inoperable peritoneal mesothelioma into good candidates for mesothelioma surgery.  They are using a new technique to spray chemotherapy drugs directly onto peritoneal tumors in order to shrink them.  In some cases, the technique shrunk mesothelioma tumors enough that they could be surgically removed with the CRS/HIPEC procedure.  What Makes a Good Candidate for Mesothelioma Surgery A number of factors influence whether patients are good candidates for mesothelioma surgery. Patients have to be in otherwise reasonably good health so that their body can handle the surgery. It is also critical that their mesothelioma not be so widespread in their abdomen that it would be impossible for surgeons…

Treating Advanced Peritoneal Mesothelioma with Spray-On Oxaliplatin
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Treating Advanced Peritoneal Mesothelioma with Spray-On Oxaliplatin

ByAlex Strauss

European doctors have tested a new spray-on cancer drug that could be another treatment option for people with advanced peritoneal mesothelioma. The drug is oxaliplatin. It is sold under the brand name Eloxatin. It is normally given by injection into a vein. But that can cause serious side effects, including stomach pain. A new study published in the European Journal of Surgical Oncology suggests there may be a more effective way to get the benefits of oxaliplatin. Researchers found that using it as a spray for advanced peritoneal mesothelioma extended survival with fewer side effects. PIPAC for Advanced Peritoneal Mesothelioma As Surviving Mesothelioma first reported last spring, pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC) is a new way to deliver cancer medicines….