Drexel Medicine is a registered trademark of Drexel University College of Medicine, a separate not-for-profit subsidiary of Drexel University. Drexel University is not involved in patient care. 245 N. 15th Street Mail Stop 413 Philadelphia, PA 19102 HIPEC PROCEDURE Drexel Surgery can now dramatically increase hope for patients through a breakthrough treatment option. For patients with advanced abdominal cancer. Until recently, treatment for advanced cancers of the abdominal cavity could provide only relief from symptoms, with no hope of stopping disease progression or prolonging life. Drexel Surgery can now dramatically increase hope for patients through a breakthrough treatment option that combines surgery with a procedure called Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC). In clinical trials, this combination therapy has been shown to slow or prevent recurrence of cancer and significantly extend the survival rate of patients. Drexel Surgery performs HIPEC on patients with the following forms of advanced cancer of the abdominal cavity: s!PPENDICEAL s#OLON s'ASTRIC s,OWGRADE3ARCOMAS s/VARIAN s0ERITONEAL-ESOTHELIOMA s0SEUDOMYXOMA0ERITONEI The HIPEC Procedure How HIPEC Works The procedure is performed by Drexel Surgery at Hahnemann University Hospital, where dedicated cancer specialists, anesthesiologists and nurses administer HIPEC in the operating room immediately following cytoreductive surgery (CRS). Heat kills cancer cells at temperatures that leave normal cells unharmed. Heating chemotherapeutic agents makes them more effective at killing cancer cells than they are at normal temperatures. Circulating heated chemotherapy throughout the peritoneal or abdominal cavity allows the solution to be distributed thoroughly and penetrate directly. After removing all visible tumors, the surgeon delivers high doses of heated chemotherapy directly into the abdominal cavity. Penetrating diseased tissue, the solution circulates throughout the abdomen for at least 90 minutes to destroy any microscopic cancer cells. In certain cases, HIPEC can be performed using minimally invasive approaches such as laparoscopy or robotic surgery. Since the solution does not circulate throughout the bloodstream, attacking healthy cells, HIPEC does not cause the side effects typically associated with intravenous chemotherapy such as nausea, fatigue or hair loss. Recovery time depends on the extent of the surgery, but patients can expect to stay at Hahnemann University Hospital for approximately 7 to 14 days following the procedure. HIPEC treatment is coordinated with a patient’s oncologist, who provides continued care after the procedure. Is HIPEC Right for You? Patients are selected for HIPEC based on the type and location of their tumor(s). HIPEC is a major procedure not without risk, and since recovery can be substantial, HIPEC is not for everyone. A Drexel Medicine cancer specialist in HIPEC can help you determine if HIPEC is the right option. Please call 215-762-1647 or visit drexelmedicine.org for more information.