[Clinical evaluation of intra-operative pelvic hyperthermochemotherapy combined with operation for rectal cancer]

In order to prevent local recurrence, intra-operative pelvic hyperthermochemotherapy (IOPHC) combined with surgery for rectal cancer has been performed. In this study, we evaluated the clinical effect of IOPHC in 20 patients who were given IOPHC, compared with 13 patients who underwent curative surgery without IOPHC (control group). The IOPHC procedure was as follows: After rectal amputation, the pelvic cavity was filled with a physiological saline containing 40 micrograms/ml of MMC. Then, the physiological saline was warmed and maintained by the apparatus (heater) we devised at 45 degrees C for 90 minutes. Local recurrence occurred in 2 cases of IOPHC group (2/20:10.0%), and in 3 cases in the control group (3/13:23.1%). On the other hand, distant metastases developed approximately at the same rate in the IOPHC group (4/20:20.0%) and control group (2/13:15.4%). Thus, IOPHC is a feasible approach to reduce local recurrence of rectal cancer.