In this episode host Steve Bland gets an exclusive insight into a 12-hour operation which saved - and transformed - a cancer patient's life. Steve is joined by Anna Minicozzi, Colorectal & Laparoscopic Surgeon, Barts Health NHS Trust, and Dr Angela Wong, the Chief Medical Officer at the North East London Cancer Alliance to talk about Heated Intraoperative Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy - or HIPEC - and the case of Jean-Pierre Dupont.

At the age of 43, Jean-Pierre was initially given three weeks to live as his cancer had spread so much. However, after changing his chemotherapy treatment, he responded well and survived beyond the three weeks. A year later, Annamaria Minicozzi from Barts Health performed a rare and intense procedure on Jean-Pierre to try to remove all the cancer that was too small to be visible to the human eye.

This 12-hour intensive operation - known as HIPEC - has completely changed Jean-Pierre's life - and given him so many more precious moments with his wife and family. Anna is championing for more of this surgery to be available in England, as there are currently only four centres of excellence.

What is HIPEC?

HIPEC stands for Heated Intraoperative Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy. It is a treatment combination used to treat cancers that have spread into the abdominal cavity, affecting the surface which is called ‘peritoneum’.

Traditionally the cancer which affects the peritoneum has been considered a condition not curable surgically and not very responsive to intravenous (IV) chemotherapy. However, there is evidence that if the size and spread of the cancer is limited, then a special surgical procedure called “Cytoreductive Surgery” that removes all the visible disease can be helpful.

This treatment can involve major surgery to remove organs in the abdomen and the peritoneum. Once the tumour has been removed, a heated chemotherapy is delivered directly to the abdominal cavity while the patient is under the anesthetic to kill off any remaining unseen cancerous cells that could otherwise grow.

The cancer cells are exposed to a high dosage of chemotherapy drug and the general undesired effects are minimized. The treatment that can be offered will vary depending on the extent that the cancer has spread.

Anna is aiming for more patients from East London and other areas of London and the South of England to be able to access this curative treatment for peritoneal metastases from colorectal and appendiceal cancer, closer to home.

This will avoid delay in treatment and consequently progression of disease and aims to improve opportunity of care and facilitate continuity of care.