Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) in Germany

Peritoneal cancer does not denote any specific malignant tumor. The disease often involves primary malignant neoplasms or metastases in the peritoneum from cancer of organs located in the abdominal cavity.

Content

1. Overview
2. Symptoms
3. High-quality treatment in Germany
4. Where can I undergo HIPEC surgery treatment in Germany?
5. The cost of treatment in Germany
6. How can I undergo HIPEC surgery treatment in Germany?

Overview

Peritoneal cancer is one of the most advanced types of progression of some oncological diseases. Peritoneal cancer is a medical form of the metastatic process in which tumor cells spread along the inner lining of the abdominal cavity. Its occurrence in most medical cases implies stage IV of the disease and is associated with a poor prognosis for patients. Peritoneal cancer is a secondary tumor lesion resulting from the progression of cancer of various localization. In some medical cases, the primary focus remains unidentified.

Treatment of peritoneal cancer is one of the most challenging tasks in oncology. Most often, the disease develops from the malignant neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory system, and female reproductive organs, such as stomach cancer, lung cancer, colon and small intestine cancer, ovarian cancer, tumors of the appendix, and pancreatic cancer.

Peritoneal cancer is an advanced medical stage of various tumors that have developed in intra-abdominal organs, such as the intestines, ovaries, appendix, stomach, pancreas, and liver. Tumors that develop directly from the tissue of the abdominal cavity (mesothelioma, pseudomyxoma) are rarely found in medical practice.

Peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare tumor. The incidence of the disease is constantly increasing and is closely related to exposure to asbestos. The tumor can affect all organs of the abdominal cavity and small pelvis and most likely affects the rectum, stomach, and ovaries.

Peritoneal pseudomyxoma is a primary tumor that usually originates in the appendix and has an average survival rate of 6 to 10 years in the case of classical medical treatment. Its main feature is that it fills the abdominal cavity with an unlimited amount of fluid, causing peritoneal effusion. Cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) are medical procedures that can provide quality treatment and often – a full quality recovery.

Symptoms

Since peritoneal cancer is not an independent disease, its medical picture is determined by the primary tumor's clinical manifestations and the actual signs of malignant lesions of the peritoneum. The most common symptoms that patients with peritoneal cancer experience are the accumulation of free fluid in the abdominal cavity, the so-called ascites. Ascites is often the only symptom in these patients. Besides, patients may experience nonspecific signs, such as significant weight loss, nausea, vomiting, severe fatigue, and weakness.

Treatment of the disease includes surgery on the primary tumor and regional metastases. Cytoreductive surgery includes peritonectomy and can be combined with the medical removal of the uterus and appendages, sigmoid colon, and gallbladder. After the surgery, the completeness of the cytoreduction score is assessed. However, even when determining the score, the possibility of dissemination cannot be completely excluded; therefore, hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is required.

High-quality treatment in Germany

Quality treatment approaches typically involve combination therapy, such as surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC).

During the surgery, the cancer-affected parts of the peritoneum are removed first. It is often necessary to remove parts of the organs near the affected peritoneum (for example, parts of the colon, stomach, or spleen). At the end of the surgery, drainage tubes are placed into the abdominal cavity. Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is performed using a special pump through these tubes. The temperature of the solution used is about 42°C. Depending on the type of cancer, rinsing with various chemotherapy drugs is performed for 30-60 minutes, which ensures optimal contact of the chemical with all organs of the abdominal cavity while maintaining a high temperature and protecting medical personnel from contact with chemicals. After the surgery, the patient is transferred to the intensive care unit for 24 hours. The duration of stay in a hospital is about 2-3 weeks.

Drugs used for hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) must have certain properties, including fast and deep penetration into the peritoneal tissues, synergy with hyperthermia, minimal systemic toxicity, and other physical factors.

Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is one of the most effective treatment methods for many cancers. The idea behind hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is to deliver the drug directly to tumor cells on the inner lining of the abdominal cavity. Due to the extremely low effect of drugs on this area when administered intravenously or taken in the form of tablets, the delivery of heated drugs results in higher concentrations of chemotherapeutic substances in the tumor.

Another very effective combined method is using hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy simultaneously with intravenous administration of drugs for their more effective penetration into the intermediate layer of the peritoneum. These drugs also increase their activity in hyperthermia, and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy makes the peritoneum a "temperature target".

A patient must meet certain criteria to be a candidate for hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) treatment. These include:

• Metastatic cancer should be confined to the abdomen and not spread to distant organs, which should be confirmed by a CT scan of the chest and abdomen or PET-CT.
• The patient must be in good medical condition and not have any other comorbidities such as severe kidney disease or cardiovascular disease.

Depending on the results of the pathological examination and efficacy of surgery, additional systemic chemotherapy may be required in some cases. Therefore, each case is discussed with the participation of specialists from the fields of oncology and radiation therapy.

In general, this type of therapy still cannot be called completely harmless, even considering fewer medical side effects than conventional chemotherapy. Therefore, a preliminary medical examination and a detailed discussion of the problem the patient experiences are mandatory.

In addition to the potential benefits that hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) provides regarding improving quality of life and increasing life expectancy, it is important to remember that due to the complexity of such surgery, patients may experience certain complications. To significantly reduce these risks, the preoperative assessment procedures are performed by highly trained and competent personnel in hospitals in Germany who specialize in those unique medical procedures.

At its core, hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a treatment method aimed at recovery. Treatment is most successful when the tumor has spread only to the peritoneum and there are no metastases carried by the blood or lymph flow. However, data has been accumulated on the successful treatment with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in the presence of metastases in the liver or the involvement of lymph nodes.

Published studies show that hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) results are superior to those of conventional chemotherapy or surgery. Now, there is an increase in life expectancy and quality of life in patients who were previously considered incurable. For example, the implementation of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in hospitals in Germany has treated ovarian cancer in the most advanced and complex forms of it. The main advantage of the hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) method is that it allows a higher dose of chemotherapy drugs, increasing the chances of killing cancer. The HIPEC dose is 20 times bigger than the dose of conventional chemotherapy for stage IV cancer.

Where can I undergo HIPEC surgery treatment in Germany?

Medical tourism is becoming more and more popular these days, as medicine in Germany ensures a much better quality of peritoneal cancer treatment with surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC).

The following hospitals show the best success rates in peritoneal cancer treatment with surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in Germany:

1. HELIOS Clinic Krefeld
2. Academic Hospital Asklepios Barmbek Hamburg
3. University Hospital of Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
4. Charite Hospital Berlin
5. University Hospital Ulm

You can find more information about the hospitals in Germany on the Booking Health website.

The cost of treatment in Germany

The prices in hospitals listed on the Booking Health website are relatively low. With Booking Health, you can undergo quality cancer treatment with HIPEC surgery in Germany at an affordable price.

The cost of treatment varies, as the prices depend on the hospitals, specifics of the disease, and the complexity of its treatment.

The cost of peritoneal cancer treatment with surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy HIPEC in Germany is 38,402-67,578 EUR.

You also need to consider the cost of additional medical procedures and follow-up care services. Therefore, the ultimate cost of treatment in Germany may differ from the initial price.

To make sure that the overall cost of treatment in Germany is suitable for you, contact us by leaving the request on the Booking Health website.

How can I undergo HIPEC surgery treatment in Germany?

It is not easy to self-organize any treatment abroad. It requires certain knowledge and experience. Thus, it is safer, easier, and less stressful to use the services of a medical tourism agency.

As the largest and most transparent medical tourism agency globally, Booking Health has up-to-date information about peritoneal cancer treatment with surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in the best hospitals in Germany. Therefore, we will help you select the right clinic in Germany, considering your wishes for treatment.

We want to help you and take on all the troubles. You can be free of unnecessary stress while Booking Health takes care of all organizational issues regarding the treatment in hospitals in Germany. Our services are aimed at undergoing quality peritoneal cancer treatment in Germany with surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) safely and successfully.

The arrangement of quality treatment can be easy! To know more about the services we provide, leave a request on the Booking Health website, and our manager will contact you shortly.

Authors: 

The article was edited by medical experts, board-certified doctors Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova and Dr. Sergey Pashchenko. For the treatment of the conditions referred to in the article, you must consult a doctor; the information in the article is not intended for self-medication!

Sources:

National Center for Biotechnology

Cancer Research Institute

American Cancer Society