23/05/2026
Not all Stage IV cancers are the same.
Some cancers that spread inside the abdomen — particularly ovarian, appendix, colorectal, and selected gastric cancers — may still have advanced treatment options beyond standard chemotherapy.
One of these specialized approaches is Cytoreductive Surgery (CRS) combined with HIPEC (Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy).
This treatment involves:
• Removing all visible tumor deposits inside the abdomen
• Delivering heated chemotherapy directly into the abdominal cavity during surgery
Modern studies, including the OVHIPEC trial for ovarian cancer, have shown promising results in carefully selected patients.
However, CRS + HIPEC is NOT for everyone.
Proper patient selection is extremely important.
The goal of this post is to help patients and families better understand this evolving field in cancer surgery.
— Dr. Paolo Manalastas
Surgical Oncologist