[Peritonitis carcinomatosa from colorectal carcinoma: new treatment options]

Peritonitis carcinomatosa occurs in 10% of patients with colorectal carcinoma. Compared with patients with lung and liver metastases, survival in patients with peritonitis carcinomatosa is worse if treated with systemic chemotherapy. However, treatment with cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) offers longer survival than systemic chemotherapy. A Dutch registration study shows that the 3- and 5-year survival of patients treated with cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC had a 3-year survival of 46% and a 5-year survival of 31%. Mortality and morbidity have dropped greatly due to standardisation of the intervention in accordance with the Dutch protocol.