Considerations on the association of cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in the treatment of ovarian cancer – a literature review

Methodology: A bibliographic review was conducted on PubMed using the descriptors “Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy”, “Cytoreduction Surgical Procedures” and “Ovarian Neoplasms”, with filters for “Meta-analysis”, “Randomized Controlled Trial” e “Systematic Review” in the last 6 years, resulting in the selection of 12 articles.

Objective: The objective of this article is to conduct a critical analysis of the efficacy of Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) combined with Cytoreductive Surgery (CRS) in the treatment of Ovarian Cancer. The study aims to assess the effectiveness of this therapeutic approach based on recent and relevant evidence, elucidating both the observed clinical benefits and the limitations and challenges encountered. Through this review, the goal is to achieve a deeper understanding of the topic, offering insights that may inform and guide future research and clinical practices in the management of this malignancy.

Result: A review of 12 articles addressed various aspects related to the use of Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) in combination with Cytoreductive Surgery (CRS) for the treatment of Ovarian Cancer. Zivanovic et al. demonstrated that, although well-tolerated, HIPEC with carboplatin did not result in a significant change in median overall survival or superior clinical outcomes, and therefore does not support its use during CRS for the treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer. Wang Y. et al. and Zhang et al., on the other hand, suggest the use of HIPEC in patients with primary ovarian cancer but emphasize the need for further studies to ensure the treatment’s efficacy and safety. Other studies have discussed that the implementation of HIPEC in CRS, while not detrimental to the patient’s quality of life, also did not show a significant improvement in it, as evidenced by Kim JH et al. and Qi et al.

Conclusion: The reviewed articles demonstrated a duality regarding the efficacy of Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) associated with Cytoreductive Surgery (CRS). Although benefits have been presented in the use of this chemotherapy, there are also studies that indicate indifference and a lack of significant positive results. The paper concludes that, although many promising studies exist, more scientific research is needed to better understand the efficacy and safety of the treatment.

Corresponding author: Luma Vasconcelos Falcão (e-mail: luma.falcao2003@gmail.com).