Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignancy with the propensity to metastasize. Common sites of metastasis include the liver, lung, and peritoneum with peritoneal metastases (PM) having the worst prognosis. Unfortunately, systemic chemotherapy is often less effective in the treatment of peritoneal metastases. Therefore, removal of all visible tumor via cytoreductive surgery along with intraperitoneal therapies has been utilized.
Methods: A comprehensive review of the literature was performed utilizing MEDLINE/Pubmed and Web of Science with an end date of September 1, 2024 regarding cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC for colorectal cancer peritoneal metastases.
Results: Recent studies have called into question the utility of intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy in the treatment of colorectal peritoneal metastases. However, regardless of IP chemotherapy, cytoreductive surgery has demonstrated additional survival benefit for patients with PM secondary to CRC.
Discussion: Herein, we review the pathophysiology of CRC PM, the current treatment paradigms, as well as a pathway forward to achieve improved outcomes in patients with CRC PM.
Keywords: HIPEC; colorectal cancer; cytoreductive surgery; peritoneal metastasis.
Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.