Cancer Survivors Network

Hi: I'm not a man but do have secondary peritoneal cancer (from gallbladder cancer). Anyways, there have been several discussions on this procedure, called HIPEC (don't know what it stands for exactly but it is an intra-peritoneal heated chemotherapy technique whereby heated chemicals (likely the same ones or similar ones you had during regular IV chemotherapy)are injected into your abdominal cavity over several treatments. It is usually done after a debulking/destripping surgery. You can look at information on this treatment by typing it into your google (or whatever) browser. Dr Sugarbaker now at Washington Hospital developed it in Europe. There are some threads on this on this discussion board and also on the ovarian cancer and colon cancer discussion boards.
Good luck.
Cheryl

Hi Nate: Glad you found your way to our discussion board. I am not a man, sorry, but there are several men on this discussion board with the disease. You don't say whether your cancer is primary peritoneal cancer or secondary peritoneal cancer (i.e. metatasis from somewhere else like the colon or appendix or ...). Also, you had regular IV chemo - can I ask what the composition of the chemicals used was (e.g. oxaliplatin? irenotecan? 5FU? etc.) - must have been a good combo if it removed/reduced the cancerous nodules on the peritoneum. Also, did you have debulking or destripping (removal of the cancerous nodules on the peritoneum) prior to chemo? We've been discussion these treatments since we established this discussion board a few months ago. See my info on the HIPEC procedure above.
Thanks, Nate.
Cheryl

I had mucinous adenocarcinoma of the appendix which had spread throughout the peritoneum. I had a belly port placed, and received IP chemo 3 days every other week (infusions were 2-4 hours each day.) I had FUDR.

It sounds horrible, but for most people, it is just uncomfortable - a bloated feeling. I was a rare one in that it caused a chemical peritonitis, and thus extreme pain. My chemo nurses at Memorial Sloan Kettering had never seen this reaction in anyone before, and they do lots of IP chemo there. Thus, they kept me on a dilaudid drip during the treatments. The 3 IP chemo beds on the 4th floor of the clinic (you have to lie down) were always full when I was there. I don't know about all the other floors, but I know other chemo suites had the beds as well, as at one point they were going to send me to a different floor.

Some people get heated IP chemo during surgery: HIPEC. Yes, there are men who have dealt with this. The question is where did your cancer originate? Also, did you have PMP (pseudomyxoma peritonei)?

Alice

Nate: I was wondering how you are doing with your fight against cancer?

Hi Nate...

We have had men post on this board because, although it is a rarer occurance, men do get PPC too and often that is overlooked. It's a lonely experience at the best of times and it's harder for those who are isolated which is why we wanted PPC distinct from Ovarian cancer. To answer your question, I wasn't offered intra abdominal chemo. I'm not sure why I wasn't but from what I understand, intra abdominal chemo is normally given during surgery. In a woman's case, the surgery is called debulking where the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries and omentum are taken away to reduce the disease. I was wondering whether you would have to have some kind of surgery too? Take good care ...

My mom has PPC. She is coming up on her second year in April. She went 9 months without treatment which is actually wonderful. Just because PPC is treated the same as ovarian doesn't mean a man can't have ppc. My moms doc said there were no signs of ovarian cancer but it somehow originated there. When she goes to chemo they list her as ovarian. Can't remember but i think the the tissue is epethiliall and the cells are mulerian. So many darn terms. Either way, yes you are in the right spot. Mom had debulking surgery. Alot of the big research hospitals do the HIPEC. My mother had chemo and than debulking which removed the rest of her cancer,than more chemo. She's in treatment again since November. It's discouraging. The one cancer you can get and its rare and never really goes into that long of a remission if you can achieve remission at all. I guess she goes through good periods. Right now she is having depression. She just went through 6 months of chemo. It's overwhelming. Hopefully u have a good support system at home. If not, you can write on here and atleast get out ur frustrations or ask questions. Welcome.