Reposted: Ascites resolution rate exceeds 93%! For advanced tumor‑related effusions, the Circulatory Hyperthermic Perfusion Therapy at Peace Hospital has alleviated suffering in 90% of patients.

Malignant tumor with pleural and peritoneal effusions

It is a challenging clinical problem.

Conventional repeated pumping addresses the symptoms but fails to tackle the root cause.

Fluid accumulation recurs rapidly.

It will also significantly deplete the body’s protein stores.

Accelerate patient physical debilitation

Shorten the life cycle

To alleviate the pain and suffering of patients with advanced cancer

Prolonging quality of life

Oncology Department, Bethune International Peace Hospital

Launch Mature and distinctive therapies

Intrathoracic and intraperitoneal hyperthermic perfusion chemotherapy

For malignant pleural and peritoneal effusions

Comprehensive treatment adds a crucial tool.

For numerous patients with advanced cancer

Bringing new hope for treatment

The first beneficiary

A septuagenarian with advanced pancreatic cancer

Regain a comfortable life span

Mr. Wu, 78, is the first patient to benefit from the hospital’s implementation of intrathoracic and intraabdominal hyperthermic perfusion chemotherapy.

Mr. Wu was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer. Prior to this, he and his family had repeatedly consulted AI‑powered telemedicine services, and the prognoses were consistently grim. Adding to their anxiety was the painful experience his wife had endured during her own cancer treatment, which left the entire family deeply apprehensive about oncological care. When confronted with the doctor’s explanation of the condition, the family frankly said, “We just hope our father can suffer as little as possible.” At that point, the family was reluctant to pursue further treatment and, after deliberation, decided to take him home to rest and recuperate.

Yet just half a month later, severe abdominal distension and persistent abdominal pain tormented Mr. Wu day and night, leaving him unable to eat or sleep. Reluctantly, he returned to the hospital. Hoping for a chance, he underwent intraperitoneal hyperthermic perfusion chemotherapy. To his delight, during the very first session, he slept soundly throughout the procedure with no discomfort; by the next day, his appetite had markedly improved. Once so resistant to treatment, he now began looking forward to the subsequent sessions.

After three treatment sessions, Mr. Wu’s ascites had largely resolved, his pain had completely subsided, and his appetite and sleep had returned to normal. Throughout the entire course of treatment, he experienced no adverse side effects. Upon discharge, both the patient and his family felt genuine relief and satisfaction.

Knowledge Popularization

Intrathoracic and intraperitoneal hyperthermic perfusion chemotherapy

01. The Origins of Hyperthermia

In 1891, American surgeon William B. Coley treated a female patient with advanced, inoperable soft-tissue sarcoma. Following surgery, the wound became severely suppurative, and she experienced recurrent high fevers (39.5–41°C) for several weeks. In an era when no antitumor drugs yet existed, the physician predicted she would survive only a few months. However, upon follow-up after the fever‑induced infection had resolved, it was found that the originally massive, extensively metastatic sarcomatous masses had completely regressed and ultimately vanished, leading to long-term disease‑free survival.

02. What is hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC)?

Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy is a novel cancer treatment modality: a chemotherapy‑containing perfusate is heated to 42–43°C and infused into the peritoneal cavity of the patient, where it is maintained for 60 minutes. Through the synergistic sensitization effect of hyperthermia and the circulatory flushing action of the large‑volume perfusate, this approach effectively kills and removes residual cancer cells and micrometastases within the body cavity.

In short, this is a localized, precision‑targeted cancer therapy that differs from conventional systemic chemotherapy by selectively ablating intra‑abdominal lesions. It offers the advantages of reduced side effects and more precise tumor eradication. At its core, the approach ingeniously exploits the differential heat tolerance between cancer cells and normal cells to achieve highly targeted tumor destruction.

03. The Role of Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy

1. Thermal ablation of tumors

Normal intra-abdominal organs and tissues exhibit remarkable thermal tolerance, enduring sustained hyperthermia at 42–43°C without injury. In contrast, cancer cells are inherently heat‑sensitive; temperatures above 42°C induce protein denaturation and DNA damage, leading to irreversible apoptotic cell death. At 43°C, tumor cells can be eradicated and their apoptosis induced, while normal tissues remain unaffected.

2. Physical scouring effect

Shear forces generated by fluid flow can directly induce tumor cell death, while fluid flushing can remove circulating cancer cells and micrometastases. High‑volume mechanical flushing can effectively eliminate and filter free cancer cells and tiny metastatic foci smaller than 40 μm from body cavities, preventing their re‑entry into the cavity and subsequent secondary contamination.

3. Chemotherapy synergy

Hyperthermia can enhance the sensitivity of chemotherapy agents; following pre‑heating, drug sensitivity is markedly improved and cellular permeability is increased. Moreover, intraperitoneal hyperthermic perfusion chemotherapy achieves much higher drug concentrations than systemic chemotherapy, with fewer adverse reactions, thereby yielding a synergistic effect that exceeds the sum of its parts.

04. Clinical Indications for Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy

1. Intracavitary perfusion therapy for malignant pleural and peritoneal effusions;

2. Treatment of malignant ascites caused by tumors such as gastric cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer, biliary tract malignancies, pancreatic cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, and pseudomyxoma peritonei;

3. Perfusional therapy for cancer cells that cannot be removed surgically, metastatic nodules, and residual lesions;

4. Postoperative prophylaxis for colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, and uterine or ovarian cancer, as well as preventive treatment for peritoneal metastases;

5. Intravesical chemotherapy for malignant bladder tumors;

6. Treatment of malignant pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma.

05. Treatment Course of Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy

1. Prophylactic treatment is typically administered via infusion 1–3 times;

2. For pleural and peritoneal metastases and malignant pleural and peritoneal effusions, intraperitoneal or intrathoracic instillation is typically administered 2–5 times.

3. The interval between each treatment is 24–48 hours.

4. Depending on the patient’s clinical condition, treatment may be repeated after one assessment cycle.

06. Precautions for Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC)

1. Before treatment, relax and empty your bladder, maintaining a comfortable position.

2. During treatment, abdominal distension and abdominal pain may occur; typically, the discomfort subsides on its own within 10–15 minutes after the infusion.

3. After treatment, due to increased sweating, promptly change your clothes to prevent catching a cold; at the same time, provide high‑energy fluids. If able to eat, drink plenty of water and consume foods that are high in protein and vitamins and easy to digest, increasing intake of milk, legumes, and fruits while avoiding fried and irritating foods. Engage in moderate activity and ensure adequate rest.