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Updated: May 20, 2026

Culture and Imaging of Ex Vivo Organotypic Pseudomyxoma Peritonei Tumor Slices from Resected Human Tumor Specimens
Published on: December 9, 2022
Outcome differences between debulking surgery and cytoreductive surgery in patients with Pseudomyxoma peritonei
H Andréasson1, W Graf, P Nygren
1Department of Surgical Sciences, Section of Surgery, Uppsala University, S-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden. hakan.andreasson@surgsci.uu.se
Background:
The aim of this study was to compare debulking surgery and cytoreductive surgery (CRS) in patients with Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) regarding efficacy and safety.
Patients And Methods:
Data were extracted from medical records and treatment outcomes were analyzed for all 152 patients with PMP who were scheduled for debulking surgery and intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IPC) or CRS and IPC at Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden, between September 1993 and December 2008.
Results:
One hundred and ten patients (73%) were treated with CRS and IPC and 40 (27%) with debulking surgery and IPC. In two patients (1%), surgery was defined as open and close. Patients with CRS and IPC had a 74% 5-year overall survival (OS) rate compared with 40% for those treated with debulking surgery (P < 0.001). Patients with no residual macroscopic tumour (R1 resection) had a better 5-year OS rate of 94% compared with 28% for patients with macroscopic residual tumour (R2) (P < 0.001). Grades II-IV adverse events were seen in 29% of debulked patients and in 47% of CRS/IPC patients (P = 0.053).
Conclusions:
CRS and IPC seems more efficient than debulking surgery and IPC but with numerically higher morbidity. Therefore, if surgically possible, CRS should be the treatment of choice for PMP patients. However, debulking surgery may still be of benefit to selected patients for palliative purposes.
Insights
Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IPC) offers better survival for Pseudomyxoma Peritonei (PMP) patients than debulking surgery. While CRS has higher morbidity, it is the preferred treatment when feasible.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Surgical Oncology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Pseudomyxoma Peritonei (PMP) is a rare malignancy.
- Treatment options include debulking surgery and cytoreductive surgery (CRS), both often combined with intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IPC).
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy and safety of debulking surgery versus CRS with IPC in PMP patients.
- To determine the optimal surgical approach for PMP management.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of medical records from 152 PMP patients.
- Comparison of outcomes between patients treated with debulking surgery + IPC and CRS + IPC.
- Data collected from Uppsala University Hospital between 1993 and 2008.
Main Results:
- CRS + IPC treated 110 patients (73%), debulking surgery + IPC treated 40 patients (27%).
- 5-year overall survival (OS) was 74% for CRS + IPC versus 40% for debulking surgery (P < 0.001).
- Complete tumor removal (R1 resection) significantly improved OS (94% vs. 28% for R2 resection). Higher grade adverse events were observed in 47% of CRS patients compared to 29% of debulking patients.
Conclusions:
- CRS + IPC demonstrates superior efficacy compared to debulking surgery + IPC for PMP.
- CRS is the recommended treatment of choice for PMP when surgically feasible, despite potentially higher morbidity.
- Debulking surgery remains a valuable option for selected PMP patients requiring palliative care.
