Treatment of Mesothelioma with CRS and HIPEC - hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy
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Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Vascular Surgery
The Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Vascular Surgery provides effective surgical treatment for diseases of the heart, respiratory system, and blood vessels. The team of cardiac surgeons operates on patients with heart valve pathologies, coronary heart disease, heart failure, and heart rhythm disturbances. In the field of thoracic surgery, the key focus is on the surgical removal of lung tumors and lung metastases. The specialists in this area also perform surgery to repair chest wall deformities. In the field of vascular surgery, interventions for abdominal and thoracic aortic aneurysms are most often performed here. The department's vascular surgeons are also exceptionally competent in the treatment of peripheral occlusive arterial disease. A great advantage for the department's patients is that almost all surgical interventions are performed using minimally invasive techniques, so there is no need for a long postoperative recovery. The department's operating rooms are equipped with state-of-the-art technology. This allows for effective and safe treatment. The priority is always personalized medical care for patients.
Department of Abdominal and Colorectal Surgery, Hepatobiliary Surgery, Hernia Surgery, Bariatric Surgery, Endocrine Surgery, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery
The Department of Abdominal and Colorectal Surgery, Hepatobiliary Surgery, Hernia Surgery, Bariatric Surgery, Endocrine Surgery, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery offers the full range of services in these medical fields. It provides surgical treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, thyroid and parathyroid glands, thoracic organs, vascular system, rectum, anus and colon. In addition, the department performs bariatric interventions for the treatment of morbid obesity. A special focus is made on the treatment of gastrointestinal cancer. Minimally invasive surgical techniques are always preferred, if clinically indicated. The team of the department's surgeons has 8 progressive operating rooms equipped with everything necessary for successful treatment. The department also has the da Vinci Xi surgical system for high-precision minimally invasive robot-assisted interventions. The patient's health is in the safe hands of the best German surgeons who have gone through a rigorous selection and have vast clinical experience.
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery
According to the Focus magazine, the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery ranks among the top German medical institutions specializing in the surgical treatment of heart diseases! The department offers the full range of first-class medical care for patients with diseases of the heart and thoracic organs that require surgical treatment. The availability in the department of advanced technical base allows for the most sparing treatment and minimally invasive surgery. The main focuses of clinical practice include coronary artery bypass grafting, modern procedures for heart valve reconstruction and replacement, treatment of diseases of the thoracic aorta, as well as treatment of heart failure by implanting an artificial heart.
Mesothelioma, a rare yet aggressive cancer, mainly affects the protective membranes surrounding the lungs and abdomen. Approximately four out of five cases develop due to contact with asbestos — a hazardous substance that, despite its proven role as a carcinogen, is still often used in multiple industries, such as construction. Choosing the right mesothelioma treatment can substantially improve a patient’s prognosis.
Newer methods of treatment like cytoreductive surgery (CRS) combined with mesothelioma hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) are showing very encouraging results. They have been proven highly efficient and often help to prolong a patient’s life for years.
Content
- What are CRS and HIPEC?
- Advantages of CRS and HIPEC in mesothelioma treatment
- Quality treatment in Germany
Pleural mesothelioma is a rare malignant tumor, the only form of pleural cancer.
The aim of CRS (cytoreductive surgery) is to remove as much of the malignant tissue as possible.
HIPEC, hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, is a method of chemotherapy in which liquid drugs are placed into the abdominal cavity. For pleural mesothelioma, its modification HITOC is used.
HITOC is performed in the presence of multiple malignant foci on the pleura and lesions of lymph nodes.
For a better view of the operating field, CRS is performed in an open way. The surgeon revises the inside of the chest and removes all malignant foci.
HITOC destroys microscopic tumor metastases that cannot be visualized and removed during surgery.
HITOC does not have the side effects of chemotherapy. However, the results of HITOC are even better due to the high dosage of drugs and their active penetration into the affected tissues.
The University Hospital Ulm, University Hospital Frankfurt-am-Main and the University Hospital Marburg UKGM specialize in the treatment and postoperative recovery of patients with pleural mesothelioma.
The cost of the treatment ranges from 52 to 80,000 euros. On the Booking Health website you will find a list of clinics with current prices.
What are CRS and HIPEC?
CRS, or cytoreductive surgery, is a pivotal step in treating certain cancer types, including mesothelioma. First, doctors aim to remove all visible tumors from the abdominal cavity. Since mesothelioma targets the pleura (the protective lining around the lungs) specialists often perform a surgery called pleurectomy to remove the impacted tissue. This procedure demands considerable expertise and a particularly careful approach.
Following the CRS stage is the HIPEC procedure. HIPEC is a method wherein the abdominal cavity is flushed with heated chemotherapeutic drugs to eradicate any remaining cancerous cells that might have been overlooked during surgery. The idea behind HIPEC for mesothelioma treatment is that healthy cells perish at 44°C, while malignant ones do at 40°C. During the procedure, the drug solution is heated to temperatures between 40°C and 42.8°C. This way, the treatment selectively targets and eliminates cancer cells, largely sparing the healthy ones.
The HIPEC procedure includes several steps:
- The patient's abdominal cavity is infused with heated chemotherapeutic drugs.
- These substances circulate within the abdomen for 1-2 hours, effectively killing cancer cells due to the elevated temperature.
- Afterwards, the solution is removed, and the patient's abdominal cavity is rinsed.
The effectiveness of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is attributed to the elevated temperatures of the chemotherapeutic drugs, making them more potent in destroying cancer cells. When combined with CRS, HIPEC provides a highly effective treatment option that improves the chances of longer survival. Though, this complex treatment requires highly experienced doctors, special equipment, and careful planning. Therefore, selecting a well-equipped medical center and a competent team of specialists in abdominal and thoracic surgery is important. To help you make your decision, you can find more detailes about HIPEC procedure here.
Advantages of CRS and HIPEC in mesothelioma treatment
Based on a meta-analysis in the Annals of Surgical Oncology, using CRS and HIPEC significantly improves results of mesothelioma treatment. Specifically, these methods:
- Enable chemotherapy drugs to be delivered directly into the abdomen at high doses.
- Extend lifespan. Average survival rates for patients undergoing these treatments range between 4 and 8 years.
- Help to lower the risk of the cancer reappearing post-surgery.
- Alleviate pronounced symptoms.
- Tend to cause fewer adverse effects compared to standard intravenous chemotherapy for mesothelioma, due to the localized application of medications.
Many of the benefits of HIPEC are related to the method of drug administration. The impact of the heated chemotherapeutic agent is confined only to the abdominal cavity. This allows patients to receive the drug in higher doses.
Quality treatment in Germany
Germany is widely recognized as a global leader in oncology, and many patients travel to this country specifically to receive effective cancer treatment. German specialists and hospitals demonstrate impressive results in battling oncological diseases, including the successful application of cytoreductive surgery combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy. The cost of HIPEC ranges from €51.792 to €80.119 and depends on the type of cancer, the extent to which it has spread and the level of the hospital.
Among the best clinics in Germany offering such treatment options are:
- Helios Clinic in Krefeld. The Department of Abdominal and Minimally Invasive Surgery specializes in CRS and HIPEC, among other things.
- Charité University Hospital. It's considered one of the most influential medical centers in Europe. The Department of General, Abdominal, and Vascular Surgery performs operations using hyperthermic chemotherapy.
- Ludwig Maximilian University Hospital of Munich. It is often mentioned among the top medical institutions in Germany, specializing in the treatment of abdominal tumors.
The doctors at these centers know a lot about treating mesothelioma and often see patients from abroad. They also pay attention to the rehabilitation after CRS and HIPEC. If you are diagnosed with this condition, you can plan your whole treatment through Booking Health. The company has been helping patients for more than 12 years. Specifically, it assists with hospital selection, offers the most promising treatment options, finds the best prices, provides the opportunity to reduce the cost of therapy, helps you schedule the appointment, coordinates the entire process, assists in hotel and flight booking. By entrusting the organizational processes to Booking Health, you can be confident in the quality of treatment received and fully focus on your recovery.
Authors:
The article was edited by medical experts, board-certified doctors Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova and Dr. Vadim Zhiliuk. 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!
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