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Updated: Mar 16, 2026

Percutaneous Hepatic Perfusion PHP with Melphalan as a Treatment for Unresectable Metastases Confined to the Liver
Published on: July 31, 2016
Effects of Neoadjuvant Laparoscopic Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy and Neoadjuvant
Yutaka Yonemura1,2,3,4, Haruaki Ishibashi5, Masamitu Hirano6
1NPO Organization to Support Peritoneal Surface Malignancy Treatment, Osaka, Shiga, Japan. y.yonemura@coda.ocn.ne.jp.
Background:
The Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI) is the most important prognostic factor following comprehensive treatment for peritoneal metastasis (PM) from gastric cancer (GCPM); however, 70 % of patients with GCPM showed a PCI score above the cut-off level at the time of diagnosis. Furthermore, neoadjuvant chemotherapy may reduce the PCI score to lower than the cut-off levels. In this study, the effects of neoadjuvant laparoscopic hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion (NLHIPEC) and neoadjuvant intraperitoneal/systemic chemotherapy (NIPS) were investigated.
Materials And Methods:
In group A, NLHIPEC was performed twice in 53 patients with GCPM, separated by a 1-month rest interval. Changes in the PCI were studied at the time of first and second laparoscopy. In group B, after NLHIPEC, a series of 3-week cycles of NIPS were performed over three courses in 52 patients. A laparotomy for cytoreductive surgery (CRS) was then carried out and the PCI changes were studied.
Results:
In group A, the PCI score at the time of the second session (11.8 ± 11.0) was significantly lower than at the time of the first session (14.2 ± 10.7), while in group B, the PCI at the time of laparotomy (9.9 ± 11.3) was significantly lower than at the time of NLHIPEC (14.8 ± 11.4). After NLHIPEC plus NIPS, complete cytoreduction was achieved in 30 (57.6 %) patients.
Conclusions:
NLHIPEC and NIPS are effective methods of reducing PCI levels before CRS.

