Effects of CytoReductive surgery plus hyperthermic IntraPEritoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) versus CytoReductive surgery for ovarian cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background: The effects of Hyperthermic IntraPEritoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) and CytoReductive Surgery (CRS) for ovarian cancer patients remain controversial.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted using PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases to investigate Overall Survival (OS), Disease Free Survival (DFS) and adverse effects between HIPEC and CRS group.

Results: In our overall analysis (13 studies), patients in the HIPEC group exhibited a significantly improved OS (HR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.41-0.76, P < 0.01) and DFS (HR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.48-0.77, P < 0.01). Subgroup analysis revealed improved OS (HR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.40-0.83, P = 0.04) and DFS (HR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.47-0.80, P < 0.01) for primary ovarian cancer in favour of HIPEC group. However, recurrent ovarian cancer patients who received HIPEC exhibited only significantly improved OS (HR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.24-0.96, P < 0.01) but not DFS (HR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.33-1.08, P = 0.09). In addition, both significantly improved OS and DFS were also observed in patients who received HIPEC in the subgroups based on the following factors: studies published before 2015, studies with ≥100 total patients, a single drug used for HIPEC, 90-min HIPEC duration and a regimen of CRS plus HIPEC followed by chemotherapy. Moreover systematically reviewed toxicity, morbidity, mortality and long-term outcomes were tolerable after HIPEC.

Conclusions: The addition of HIPEC to CRS could significantly improve OS of ovarian cancer patients, albeit optimal drug regimen is not clear.

Keywords: Cytoreductive surgery; Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy; Meta-analysis; Ovarian cancer.