Hipec: Controversial 'Hot Chemo Bath' Treatment Grows In Popularity

A new cancer treatment called Hipec (hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy) is slowly growing in popularity -- one that involves surgically removing cancerous tumors from the abdominal cavity, then bathing the cavity with hot chemotherapy to kill any cancer cells left in there.

The idea behind the treatment is that heat at 42 degrees Celsius (107.6 degrees Fahrenheit) is able to kill cancer cells without affecting normal cells in the body, according to the University of California, San Diego Moores Cancer Center, which offers the treatment to qualifying patients.

In addition, heat supposedly makes the chemotherapy more powerful at killing cancer cells, as well as softens the nodules of the tumors so that the chemotherapy can more easily penetrate them, according to UCSD.

Proponents of the treatment say that the treatment helps cancer patients live longer than they might be expected to, but critics say that they may have done well even without the therapy, the New York Times reported. In addition, critics say there isn't enough scientific evidence that it works.

There are about 1,500 of the Hipec treatments done now, but that number could grow to 10,000 per year as more hospitals add it to their cancer-treating repertoires, the New York Times reported. Among such hospitals that have recently added it: Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, N.Y., Massachusetts General and University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

The treatment is good for patients with only specific cancers, like mesothelioma, appendix cancer and pseudomyxoma peritonea (a rare cancer in the abdominal cavity that produces proteins called mucin), as well as some patients with colon cancer, according to UCSD.

Cancer treatments are increasingly innovative, as Hipec exemplifies. The Food and Drug Administration approved earlier this year a treatment for brain cancer, that kills tumor cells using electrical energy fields -- patients who used this treatment had the same outcomes as patients on chemotherapy, but with fewer side effects.

For more about Hipec, read the New York Times article here.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misidentified the University of California, San Diego as the University of San Diego.

Comments

[obamavet]

04:44 PM on 08/15/2011

I know that in one case, it did not work. My brother went through this proceedure last year. He died last Friday. Not all new things are shiney.

[Arvilla7]

04:51 PM on 08/14/2011

I hope all cancer patients can benefit from Hipec immediately, if anyone can, please post all states where it is being offered.

[whistlesociety]

12:35 AM on 08/15/2011

The HPEC procedure is reserved for patients who meet a specific medical protocol. It would be erroneous to think you can simply walk into a center that does these procedures and have them accept you out of hand as a patient. In other words you must be medically qualified to undergo this rigorous surgery. One of the institutions that offers this procedures is Mercy Hospital in Baltimore Maryland, Its HIPEC team is led by a great surgeon and here i do NOT use the word lightly, his name is Dr. Armondo Sardi. His HIPEC coordinator is Jennifer Francis. Take it upon yourself to contact Jennifer, its the first step in fully understanding what HIPEC is all about. Its a call that could save your life. Peace be with you.

[whistlesociety]

12:01 AM on 08/14/2011

HIPEC can save your life. It is NOT a snake oil medical procedure. What one must be cautious of is that the practitioner/surgeon is highly experienced. that translates into a surgeon having performed at least 350 of these procedures to be considered medically qualified to perform the HIPEC procedure. As a HIPEC patient and medical professional, I urge all of you to learn as much as possible about this medical innovation. If you have any questions concerning HIPEC don't hesitate to contact me I will do the best I can to answer your questions.

[TeaParty Princess]

10:54 PM on 08/13/2011

MY HUSBAND HAS METASTANTIC MALIGINANT MELAMONA stage 3C....... and his treatment with Yervoy are not the 30k each posted on the web but a cool 68k each. I would do anything to save the love of my life........even bathe his body in chemo drugs!.....He's 46 years old, healthy as a horse and full of energy.....anything is better than a death sentence for an innocent person who is more wonderful than life itself!

[David Jeffers]

09:44 PM on 08/13/2011

It is amazing the fact that "Flat Earthers" still exist in todays society, but the need for "point / counterpoint" sells so the media feeds on it.

An incredible find in the treatment of cancer is found that potentially may be a real turning point in the battle to fight this disease "but critics say that they may have done well even without the therapy, the New York Times reported. In addition, critics say there isn't enough scientific evidence that it works".

This had to come from someone involved in the Insurance industry being as how the comment was so quick to disregard the results and claim "not enough information" which is code for "Costs a lot of money".

It just goes to show that if you look hard enough, you will find people that are afraid of falling off the edge of the world.

Great News for Cancer patients and hopefully it opens the door to other remedies for other diseases.

[Denisehh3]

09:29 PM on 08/13/2011

Miracuously my father is alive today at the age of 75.......he had had stage 4 Hodgekins Lymphoma Cancer prior........dad was treated with aggressive Chemotherapy treatments which got the job done......never lost his hair.......simply thinned it a bit........lost his big ol' tummy which was a plus.......mom was thrilled......both my younger brother and I are personal trainers........so we usually do a bit of research into supplements which promote healty living........we both ramped up dad's diet and daily meal intake regiment ........got him the necessary vitamin supplements.........and got him taking anti-oxidants.......we got him to boost his immune system enabling it to be work in overdrive to stay cancer free..........so far dad's healthy........dancing is his major form of exercise and he's doing just awesome he thoroughly enjoys that.........each time dad's doctors give him a prescription, my brother and I take the time to research it in depth........weighing the benefits as well as the side effects........in order to make an informed decision prior to him popping any pill in his mouth.......

[tommyg54]

09:15 PM on 08/13/2011

Wonder if this would work for bladder cancer

[Arvilla7]

09:15 PM on 08/13/2011

Where in Florida can one get Hipec?

[bonnieb333]

09:31 PM on 08/13/2011

You should get more information from this site:

www.hipecdoctor.com

[marktateusa]

09:13 PM on 08/13/2011

I say let the doctors proceed. If it works, even for some, it's worth the effort and risk because there is ALWAYS something new learned.

[bobshu7]

09:09 PM on 08/13/2011

Holy Moly I Pray this works and we can defeat cancer once and for all.

[cherokee1934]

10:43 PM on 08/13/2011

Yes indeed we need a cure for many different types of cancer. And a few can be cured. It is odd that two people can have the same type get the same treatment and one will live for many years and the other person just lives a short time.

[miamigurl]

08:08 PM on 08/13/2011

Hmm, My brother has testicular cancer which was removed but had it for too long and spread to lower abdomin and pelvis area. i wonder if they do this in Jackson Memorial Hospital here in miami? sounds like a great idea...

[Arvilla7]

09:15 PM on 08/13/2011

If you learn of anyplace in Florida, please post it here.

[bonnieb333]

09:35 PM on 08/13/2011

You should give the oncology department at Jackson a call. I'm sure they can point you in the right direction. Jackson's a great hospital. And don't forget Mayo up in Jacksonville.

[theron mote]

07:55 PM on 08/13/2011

Drink lots of alkaline water to hydrate the body, cancer cannot live in alkaline, also hydrogen peroxide given intraveniously to cleanse the body. great ways to prevent and help cure cancer, as witnessed by my sister who did this ( she had anal cancer ) and 6 months of low dose chemo and she is cancer free.........

[talondora]

08:56 PM on 08/13/2011

I get real concerned when I see non physicians giving out medical advice. It's called practicing without a license. Me? I'm a R.N. who knows better.

[cherokee1934]

09:09 PM on 08/13/2011

How do we know that this advice was not given by doctors?
Just saying!

[Gizmo9]

09:58 PM on 08/13/2011

Doctors usually want to treat you with medications. There are natural ways to heal your body. One of the reasons we hear about eating fruits and vegetables is because they are alkaline. Cancer usually start in an acidic environment which could also be caused by our mental state, resentments negativity, anger all of these create and acidic state in the body. Just because you are a R.N. or even doctor does not mean you know everything. You have learned about the body and how it works but not necessarily how to help the body to heal it self by eating right and keeping positive outlook on life
I do not think this is something they teach in the medical school unfortunately.

[Arvilla7]

09:12 PM on 08/13/2011

Where do you find alkaline water?

[David Jeffers]

09:51 PM on 08/13/2011

Kangen water makes a machine. It is a little pricy but separates the acid from the potable water.

[theron mote]

03:58 AM on 08/14/2011

as david said, there are machines that you can buy, and they are in the 2-3 thousand dollar range, ebay has some ways to alkaline your drinking water, as well as the machines. just type in alkaline water in the search bar. you can also find bottles of alkaline water in whole food stores, the ph should be above 7. adding lemon to your water will alkaline it to a degree. I'm no expert but when my sis got cancer I did a lot of research, and these are some of my findings. google "alkaline water" and you can get a lot of info.

[linmarco]

07:40 PM on 08/13/2011

Not being a physician I cannot say what does or doesn't work. That said,whatever the physician does that helps the cancer patient, in anyway whatsover, has my blessing. I lost my daughter, and only child, to this disease two years ago come September 26th. Not a day passes that I don't think of her. My only consolation is the two sweet grandchildren left by she and her husband. Perhaps one day we will see a cure for this scourge.

[CancerFree2011]

07:43 PM on 08/13/2011

My deepest sympathy for your loss. Having had this HIPEC operation just one year ago, I pray that I don't get the same cancer as they say it does come back. God bless you & your family. I pray for a cure as well. xo

[linmarco]

07:57 PM on 08/13/2011

My best wishes to you and your improved health.

[Christopher Aquino]

07:32 PM on 08/13/2011

To all those who doesn't have any idea... there is already a MORE EFFECTIVE WAY TO CURE CANCER with no side effects to the body and it's non-surgical, non or low-toxic cancer treatment regimens. It's Dr. BURZYNSKI's ANTINEOPLASTONS. Check youtube below to find out more about this one. Please say no to Chemotherapy and yes to Antineoplastons. Please help spread the word.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0ibsoqjPac

[CancerFree2011]

07:44 PM on 08/13/2011

Have you had cancer and have been cured by this method ?

[hedonistnutritionist]

08:01 PM on 08/13/2011

I was going to mention Dr. Burzynski as well. He has laternatively been awarded NIH grants to do his research, then the grants are taken away and he spends time in jail, then he gets out becasue they have nothing to prosecute him on, he gets more grants from NIH, they get taken away and so on. Of anything out there, this doctor realy does have the cure for cancer, but it doens't support big Pharma so they go after him. Ironic that our own government health institution (The National Institute of Health) thinks he is so promising that they give him grants.

[cherokee1934]

09:07 PM on 08/13/2011

I did a search on Dr. Burzynski and he does seem to have some good treatments for Cancer. If I had any kind of Cancer I would use the best treatment that I could find. But thousands die of Cancer around the country and the world each year.

[Arvilla7]

09:10 PM on 08/13/2011

Deeply google Burzynski and read many articles about his methods, hard to tell what his deal is, so many positives and negatives, he seems expensive and if he has cure for cancer, should give it out for free, that would show big Pharma a thing or two. Saw him recently on what looked like a late night info commercial, thing went on for hours, if he gets grants and has the cure, he should give it out for free, that way people would willingly give him gifts and he wouldn't need grants, he'd be an automatic hero.

[atd]

07:10 PM on 08/13/2011

This treatment isn't new. My father was sent to Japan 19-YEARS-AGO (by MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston Texas) to learn this very technique from the Japanese. My father is a retired anesthesiologist. They also sent a surgeon and a nurse. I was 14 at the time, I'm now 33. And this is making news NOW?