INTRAPERITONEAL CHEMOHYPERTHERMIA (WITH MITOMYCIN-C) FOR DIGESTIVE CANCERS WITH PERITONEAL CARCINOMATOSIS

Intra Peritoneal Chemo Hyperthermia (IPCH) with Mitomycin C (MMC) was used to treat 52 patients with far-advanced digestive adenocarcinoma a nd histologically proved peritoneal carcinomatosis. Surgical resection of the primary tumour has been possible in 28 cases. After closure of the abdominal wall, a 90 minutes IPCH was performed under general ana esthesia and 32 degrees C hypothermia, through 3 intraperitoneal drain ages realizing a closed circuit, using 10 mg/l of MMC in 6 liters of p eritoneal dialysate heated at the inflow temperature of 46 to 49 degre es C. Mortality rate was 3/52. There were 2 post-operative complicatio ns. They were poor and transitory biological side effects; for 22 pati ents with preoperative malignant ascitis, no more ascitis could be fou nd after IPCH in 13. One year survival rate was 54.2%. These encouragi ng preliminary results show that IPCH with MMC is a safe and reliable treatment for peritoneal carcinomatosis in far advanced digestive canc ers.