HIPEC

HIPEC stands for Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy. It is a procedure in which heated chemotherapy drugs are circulated directly inside the abdominal cavity for roughly 60 to 90 minutes immediately after a surgeon has removed all visible tumor. The heat and direct contact allow much higher drug concentrations to reach cancer cells than would be possible with standard intravenous chemotherapy.

Origin

The technique was developed in the late 1980s and 1990s, most notably by surgical oncologist Dr. Paul Sugarbaker at the Washington Cancer Institute, who paired it with aggressive tumor-removal surgery (cytoreduction) to treat cancers that had spread across the lining of the abdomen. The acronym combines "hyperthermic" (heated, from Greek roots), "intraperitoneal" (within the peritoneal cavity), and "chemotherapy."

Significance in Asbestos Context

HIPEC, paired with cytoreductive surgery (CRS), is the most effective treatment currently available for peritoneal mesothelioma, the form of mesothelioma that arises in the lining of the abdomen after asbestos exposure. Selected patients treated with CRS/HIPEC at experienced centers have reported median survivals of 5 years or more, compared with roughly 1 year with chemotherapy alone. Eligibility depends on the extent of disease (measured by the Peritoneal Cancer Index), tumor cell type, and overall fitness, so a second opinion at a high-volume peritoneal surface malignancy program is often worthwhile. Documentation of the diagnosis, surgical findings, and treatment course also becomes important medical evidence in any asbestos claim.

Example Sentence

After her peritoneal mesothelioma diagnosis, she traveled to a specialized cancer center for cytoreductive surgery combined with HIPEC, which her oncologist explained offered the best chance of long-term disease control.

Related Terms

Peritoneal Mesothelioma, Cytoreductive Surgery, Peritoneal Cancer Index, Cisplatin, Pemetrexed, Mesothelioma

Notes

• Ask whether you are a candidate for CRS/HIPEC before starting systemic chemotherapy, since prior treatments and disease progression can affect eligibility; a referral to a high-volume peritoneal surface malignancy center is the key step.
• Request your Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI) score and completeness of cytoreduction (CC) score from the operative report. These numbers strongly predict outcome and are often referenced by treating teams and experts.
• Keep complete records of the surgery, the chemotherapy agent used (commonly cisplatin), pathology reports, and follow-up imaging; these documents support both medical decision-making and any legal claim related to asbestos exposure.
• CRS/HIPEC is a major operation with a significant recovery period; ask the surgical team about expected hospital stay, complication rates at their center, and what rehabilitation will look like.