'PIPAC' Procedure Delivers Hope, Improves Lives of Cancer Patients With Inoperable Tumors

A groundbreaking approach to delivering chemotherapy at Memorial Hospital West is transforming the treatment landscape for gastrointestinal cancer patients who previously faced limited options.

Pressurized intraperitoneal aerosolized chemotherapy (PIPAC) is a minimally-invasive, palliative procedure designed for patients whose cancer has metastasized and is unresponsive to conventional therapies, particularly when tumors are inoperable. Administered every six weeks alongside intravenous chemotherapy, PIPAC aims to slow disease progression, alleviate symptoms, and potentially extend the lives of patients.

Memorial Cancer Institute at Memorial Hospital West is one of the few institutions in the U.S. offering the procedure.

"Until recently, PIPAC was available only through clinical trials,” said surgical oncologist Omar Llaguna, MD. “However, data from European and Asian centers, along with promising results from early U.S. trials, indicated highly encouraging outcomes, so Memorial became an early adopter of this innovative technology. The pressurized aerosolized delivery system allows for lower doses of chemotherapy while improving penetration, all within a minimally-invasive procedure that eliminates the need for an overnight hospital stay," said Llaguna.

Often referred to as “aerosol chemo,” PIPAC is delivered through laparoscopic incisions directly into the abdominal cavity of patients with peritoneal cancers. Dr. Llaguna says the procedure typically lasts around 45 minutes.

“Remarkably, in about 20% of cases, patients who were previously deemed inoperable became candidates for surgery. Even when surgery isn’t feasible, PIPAC offers significant symptom relief and can extend the lives of patients who might otherwise have very limited time.”

To learn more about PIPAC, schedule a consultation, or if you are a physician interested in making a patient referral, contact Memorial’s Division of Surgical Oncology at 954-844-9520.