title: Value of laparoscopy before cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy for peritoneal carcinomatosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The outcome of cytoreductive surgery combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) depends on the extent of peritoneal carcinomatosis. The role of laparoscopy in the preoperative assessment of extent of peritoneal carcinomatosis in potential candidates for cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC was evaluated in a consecutive series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis from colorectal cancer or appendiceal cancer, pseudomyxoma peritonei or peritoneal mesothelioma referred to a single, national HIPEC centre were included prospectively between June 2006 and January 2012. From September 2010, preoperative evaluation also included a laparoscopy in patients deemed amenable to cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC after radiological evaluation, apart from those with pseudomyxoma peritonei with massive amounts of mucin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the period before laparoscopic evaluation, 70 patients underwent laparotomy of whom 39 (56 per cent) completed cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC. After the introduction of laparoscopic assessment, diagnostic laparoscopy was planned in 45 patients and successful in 43. The laparoscopic evaluation excluded 18 patients from surgery because of extensive disease, among other reasons. Laparoscopy was uneventful and associated with no deaths. Twenty-seven patients were considered amenable to cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC based on laparoscopic findings, of whom 17 completed this treatment; the disease was unresectable in the remaining ten patients. Of 13 patients who were not eligible for laparoscopic evaluation and were subjected to cytoreductive surgery plus HIPEC, 11 completed the procedure. The overall completion rate of cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC increased to 70 per cent (28 of 40) after the introduction of laparoscopic evaluation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diagnostic laparoscopy was valuable in preoperative evaluation of the extent of peritoneal carcinomatosis, and improved patient selection for cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital THG, Tage-Hansens Gade 2, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark. lene.h.iversen@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Iversen
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laurberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001063:Appendiceal Neoplasms; D010478:Chemotherapy, Cancer, Regional Perfusion / Q000379:methods*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome