Laparoscopic HIPEC for Low-Volume Peritoneal Metastasis in Gastric and Gastroesophageal Adenocarcinoma

We seek to determine whether laparoscopic hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion (LS-HIPEC) improves overall survival (OS) in patients with gastric and gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma and low-volume peritoneal metastasis compared with standard of care treatment.

We reviewed data from a prospectively maintained database of patients with gastric and gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma to identify patients with radiologically occult carcinomatosis or positive peritoneal cytology, no evidence of distant metastasis, and without disease progression during initial chemotherapy or observation. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to evaluate the impact of LS-HIPEC on OS.

We identified 25 patients who underwent LS-HIPEC and 27 treated with a standard of care approach due to patient (33.3%) or provider (51.9%) preference or financial limitations/lack of insurance coverage (14.8%). Resection was ultimately performed in 28% of LS-HIPEC patients and no standard care patients. At a median follow-up of 18.9 months, median OS was 24.7 (IQR 20.8-34.2) months in LS-HIPEC patients and 21.3 (IQR 12.3-23.1) months in standard care patients (p = 0.08). Three-year OS in the LS-HIPEC group was 19.1%, compared with 9.6% (p = 0.08). Patients who underwent resection had a median OS of 25.3 (IQR 22.6-47.1) months compared with 21.3 months in standard care patients (p = 0.05).

Neoadjuvant LS-HIPEC for the treatment of low-volume peritoneal disease in gastric and gastroesophageal cancer patients did not significantly improve OS compared with standard care. Multiinstitutional studies are necessary to further elucidate the benefit of LS-HIPEC for this patient population.