Hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy (HITHOC) in ovarian carcinoma - a propos of a case

Abstract

A female patient aged 42, started chemotherapy for advanced ovarian carcinoma in June 2016. Considering intraoperative findings, cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) were performed, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. In March 2018, computed tomography (CT) examination showed disease progression in the form of pleural carcinomatosis with increased levels of tumor markers. In April 2018, total parietal pleurectomy, partial visceral pleurectomy, and then hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy (HITHOC) with cisplatin were performed. The procedure was uneventful, as was the postoperative course. The patient was discharged on the 13th postoperative day with no major postoperative complications. Three months after surgery, CT showed no signs of disease relapse. Since this is a relatively new method of treating pleural carcinomatosis, real results are to be expected with larger series of patients and longer postoperative follow-up.