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Switching Chemotherapy Drugs During Repeat CRS-HIPEC Surgery

A cancer diagnosis impacts far more than physical health. For many patients and caregivers, the financial burden of treatment can quickly become overwhelming. Between medical bills, travel expenses, time away from work, lodging, prescriptions, childcare, and everyday household costs, financial stress often becomes an added challenge during an already difficult time. That’s why the Abdominal Cancers Alliance is proud to introduce our new Financial Assistance Resource — a resou

By Tim Morgan New Hampshire What started as a suspected case of appendicitis on Halloween 2024 quickly spiraled into a confusing medical ordeal. When I went for surgery to have my appendix removed, there was a note in MyChart about a "possible malignancy" and removal of the right side of my colon which left me thunderstruck even though the surgeon indicated that it was probably nothing. A week later, I received the words that every patient dreads - "You have cancer." The Se

I have always been a pragmatist, a teacher of English Literature who looked for logic in the narrative arc of a story. But nothing in the great works of fiction could have prepared me for the moment the story became my own—or more accurately, my son’s. My son, “Hunter”, is 43, a gifted cinematographer living in Tulsa. He sees the world through a lens of light and shadow, but in 2023, a shadow fell over us that no camera could filter out. It began with standard abdominal pain

A new study published in Nature Communications found that ascites—the fluid buildup common in advanced ovarian cancer—may help cancer cells survive and spread throughout the abdomen. Researchers also identified a potential way to disrupt this process using a decades-old cholesterol-lowering medication, highlighting a promising avenue for future treatment research.

Researchers found that common blood tests known as tumor markers may help predict how patients respond to treatment and whether their cancer is more likely to return after surgery. The findings reinforce an important message for patients and caregivers: follow-up care is a critical part of cancer treatment and survivorship.

Study examines impact of HIPEC on quality of life for ovarian cancer patients

Pancreatic cancer that has spread to the abdominal lining is typically treated with palliative chemotherapy, and outcomes remain poor. A new study examined whether a more aggressive strategy—surgery to remove visible tumors followed by heated chemotherapy delivered directly into the abdomen (HIPEC)—could improve survival in carefully selected patients. The findings offer insight into a potential new approach for managing advanced disease.

In a room filled with warmth, courage, and an unmistakable sense of community, we gathered for our very first Living Proof event. Connected by our shared experiences with abdominal cancers, it was a celebration of shared challenges, resilience, and the power of human connection through storytelling and song. It was an experience that left us energized, inspired, and deeply moved.

Darling A, Harlev C, O’Cearbhaill R . Use of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in the treatment of ovarian cancer: A multidisciplinary review. Surgical Oncology Insight, 2026; 3 What is this study about? This article looks at a treatment called HIPEC (Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy). HIPEC is given during surgery for cancers that have spread inside the abdomen (like ovarian cancer). Doctors circulate warm chemotherapy directly in the belly to kill cancer

Personalized chemotherapy tests a patient’s tumor against different drugs to identify which treatment may work best. For abdominal cancers, this approach could help doctors select more effective therapies, avoid unnecessary side effects, and potentially improve treatments such as HIPEC. Although it is still being studied and is not widely available, personalized chemotherapy represents a promising shift toward more precise, individualized cancer care.

Falla-Zuniga LF, Sardi A, King MC, Lopez-Ramirez F, Kovalik V, Iugai S, Diaz-Montes T, Gushchin V. Small bowel obstruction and ovarian cancer: insights from a propensity-score matched study in patients with and without hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy after cytoreductive surgery. World J Surg Oncol. 2025 Aug 26;23(1):318. doi: 10.1186/s12957-025-03968-y. PMID: 40859247; PMCID: PMC12382003. What was this study about? People with advanced ovarian cancer sometimes devel

Ha, E., Suzuki, Y., Sarkaria, I.S. et al. Outcome Analysis of Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intrathoracic Chemoperfusion (HITHOC) for Pseudomyxoma Peritonei with Pleural Metastasis. Ann Surg Oncol 33, 3084–3090 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-025-18880-8 What is this study about? This study looked at a rare but challenging situation: when a condition called pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP)—a cancer that usually starts in the abdomen—spreads to the chest (pleura).

A cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming—not just physically, but emotionally and practically. For patients and caregivers alike, one of the most important factors in navigating this journey is having a strong, reliable support system. At the Abdominal Cancers Alliance, we understand that support looks different for everyone. It can come from family and friends, peer communities, healthcare teams, or even small acts of help that make daily life a little easier. But knowing how

Kovalik V, Sardi A, Falla-Zuniga LF, Wasti A, King MC, Iugai S, Uzhegova K, Nieroda C, Montes TD, Gushchin V. Patient-Reported Financial Toxicity of Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy. Ann Surg Oncol. 2026 Mar 2. doi: 10.1245/s10434-025-19059-x. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41772250. What was this study about? This study looked at the financial challenges (often called “financial toxicity”) experienced by people undergoing cytoreductive surgery

Somashekhar, S.P. HIPEC in Advanced Ovarian Cancer: From Controversy to Contextual Standard of Care. Indian J Gynecol Oncolog 24, 52 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40944-026-01122-4 What is this study about? This article looks at a treatment approach called HIPEC (hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy) for people with advanced ovarian cancer—a cancer that often spreads within the abdomen. Even with surgery and chemotherapy, many patients still have tiny cancer cells lef

Al Mahrizi, A.D., Mossolem, F., Major, E. et al. Prophylactic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy with Platinum Agents Following Curative Resection for Colorectal Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Ann Surg Oncol 33, 2972–2984 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-025-18903-4 What is this study about? This research looked at a strategy to help prevent colorectal (colon and rectal) cancer from coming back after surgery. Even when surgery successfully removes all visible

A quarterly newsletter with the latest news, views and announcements from Peritoneal Surface Oncology Group International (PSOGI) Led by pioneering surgical oncologist Dr. Paul Sugarbaker, PSOGI is a collaboration of experts from around the world on the treatment of peritoneal cancer and is dedicated to improving treatment and survival of patients with peritoneal metastases . We are proud to share their quarterly newsletter. This newsletter highlights new research on cancers

By Debbie Carmel California In 2024, at age 64, my world changed overnight. It started on a Tuesday in January with a sharp pain in my lower left abdomen. Like many of us do, I chalked it up to "old age" or maybe diverticulitis. I even felt well enough by that Saturday to go wine tasting with friends. I had no idea that a “watermelon-sized” tumor was growing inside me. By February, a wellness exam led to a CT scan, and by March, I was in surgery. My diagnosis was a moving tar

Bhatt A, Stepanyan A, Al-Niaimi A et al. Principles of cytoreductive surgery for primary and metastatic peritoneal malignancies—the PSOGI–ESGO–ISSPP Lyon consensus. The Lancet Oncology, 27, e181-e194 Overview This article brings together an international group of experts to establish clear, consistent guidance on how to perform cytoreductive surgery, a complex procedure used to treat cancers that have spread within the abdominal lining (the peritoneum). These cancers can in