Narrative review of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in patients with advanced ovarian cancer: a critical reappraisal of the current evidence

Abstract

The implementation of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in the management of advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) as a standard practice remains debatable despite the emerging data supporting its beneficial effect when used to supplement cytoreductive procedures. The aim of the present review was an attempt to accumulate the currently available evidence on the use of HIPEC for patients with primary and recurrent EOC and to address directives of future research. Based on the currently available literature, the progress in cytoreductive surgical procedures and chemotherapy has brought significant improvement in the management and survival outcomes of selected patients with advanced EOC. The addition of HIPEC seems encouraging based on the outcomes of high-quality clinical trials. There are significant parameters on the use of CRS and HIPEC such as patient selection, the sequencing of procedures, the type of chemotherapy agent and time and the temperature of hyperthermic procedures which require additional investigation. Multidisciplinary team management by surgeons, gynaecologists, oncologists, pathologists and radiologists is of critical importance. Also, additional large prospective well-designed randomised studies are needed in order to update our current knowledge and provide guidelines to improve the management of patients with EOC.

Keywords: Ovarian cancer; chemotherapy; cytoreductive surgery; hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC).