How to measure peritoneal carcinomatosis

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Radiology
• Surgical Oncology

Background:

• Peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) is the spread of cancer within the peritoneum.
• Historically considered incurable, PC now has improved treatment options.
• Accurate diagnosis and staging are vital for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the advancements in treating peritoneal carcinomatosis.
• To emphasize the role of imaging in patient selection for HIPEC.
• To underscore the importance of accurate disease assessment and multidisciplinary collaboration.

Main Methods:

• Review of imaging techniques including computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET-CT).
• Discussion of the peritoneal carcinomatosis index (PCI) for quantifying tumor burden.
• Emphasis on multidisciplinary board discussions for treatment planning.

Main Results:

• Cytoreductive surgery combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) offers significant improvements for select patients.
• Radiological assessments are key to identifying patients who can benefit from HIPEC.
• Understanding different presentations, PCI, and unresectability criteria improves disease assessment.

Conclusions:

• Peritoneal carcinomatosis is increasingly manageable with modern surgical and chemotherapeutic approaches.
• Accurate radiological staging and standardized assessment tools like PCI are essential.
• Multidisciplinary team input is critical for optimal patient outcomes in PC management.