Adjuvant hyperthermic intraperitoneal peroperative chemotherapy (HIPEC) associated with curative surgery for locally advanced gastric carcinoma. An initial experience.

After macroscopic radical (R0) surgery for advanced gastric carcinoma, 40 to 50% of the tumors recur in the abdomen as locoregional or peritoneal disease. We initiated a protocol in which patients with suspicion of macroscopic serosal, lymphatic or peritoneal invasion, treated with R0 resection, underwent adjuvant HIPEC. Between June 1998 and January 2003, 16 patients with locally advanced adenocarcinoma of the stomach were included in the study. Surgery consisted of a total gastrectomy with a D2 lymphadenectomy. Splenectomy (n = 1), splenopancreatectomy (n = 4), transverse colectomy (n = 3), left hepatectomy (n = 1), localized peritonectomy (n = 3) were associated to obtain a R0 resection. HIPEC protocol consisted of heated (42.5 degrees C) intraperitoneal mitomycin C (15 mg/m2) for a planned duration of 90 minutes. HIPEC median duration was limited to 73(20-90) min because of central hyperthermia recognition in half of the cases. One patient died in the postoperative period of sepsis secondary to a duodenal fistula. Postoperative morbidity included pancreatic fistula (n = 2), pulmonary oedema (n = 1), pulmonary embolus (n = 1) and transient renal failure (n = 1). UICC staging was IB (n = 2), II (n = 2), IIIA (n = 5), IIIB (n = 1), IV (n = 6). Nine of the 16 patients are alive without recurrence with a median follow-up of 52 months. Four patients developed a recurrence, intraperitoneal (n = 2), systemic (n = 1), or combined (n = 1). Two patients were lost to follow-up. Aggressive surgical therapy and HIPEC might represent the standard of care in a selected population with locoregional disease and for whom a R0 resection can be achieved. This protocol was associated in this study with a 75% 5-year survival with a low peritoneal recurrence rate and an acceptable morbidity.