title: Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for peritoneal mesothelioma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare neoplasm. Due to the limited understanding of its biology and behaviour, peritoneal mesothelioma poses a diagnostic and management challenge. The management of peritoneal mesothelioma has been controversial; systemic chemotherapy, palliative surgery and cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with intraoperative hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) have been described.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study shares our experience with cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC for 5 out of the 6 cases of peritoneal mesotheliomas treated surgically, at a single institution in Singapore over the past 2 years. Computed tomography (CT) scans, positron emission tomography (PET)-CT scans and tumour markers were performed preoperatively but were not conclusive for the disease. All 6 cases presented to the Department of Surgical Oncology at National Cancer Centre Singapore, were diagnosed by histology of intraoperative biopsies. The combination of aggressive cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC was performed in 5 patients, with abandonment of procedure in 1 with extensive disease, who was treated with systemic chemotherapy instead.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median duration of surgery, median length of hospital stay, and median follow-up duration were 7.04 hours, 11 days, and 15 months respectively. One postoperative morbidity relating to chemical peritonitis required exploratory laparotomy with good outcome. There were no mortality. All patients are alive at the last follow-up with no evidence of recurrences at 4 to 31 months from the time of their surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare disease that requires early diagnosis and can be effectively treated by CRS and HIPEC in selected group of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: Grace H C
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Jendana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chanyaputhipong
authors.forename: Khee Chee
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Soo
authors.forename: Melissa C C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Teo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010478:Chemotherapy, Cancer, Regional Perfusion / Q000379:methods*; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed