Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (1,051 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
A cancer treatment that involves filling the abdominal cavity with heated chemotherapy drugs. It is performed after the surgeon removes tumors or lesions from the abdominal area, to kill any cancer cells that remain after surgery and reduce the risk for cancer recurrence. (From: https://www.mdanderson.org/treatment-options/hyperthermic-intraperitoneal-chemoth erapy.html; Feb, 20, 2020).
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Chemotherapy, Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal; Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy, Hyperthermic; Intraperitoneal Hyperthermic Chemotherapy; Chemotherapy, Intraperitoneal Hyperthermic; Hyperthermic Chemotherapy, Intraperitoneal; Intraperitoneal Hyperthermic Chemotherapies; HIPEC; Hot Chemotherapy.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; Hyperthermia, Induced
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 1,392 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy” (counts retrieved 2026-10-29). 1,392 of them (100.0%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is 2020 onward with 1,392 records.
Reviews account for 241 records (17.3%) and meta-analyses for 50. Randomized controlled trials number 50 (3.6%) as a share of all records on the topic.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 0 |
| 2000-2009 | 0 |
| 2010-2019 | 21 |
| 2020 onward | 1,392 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 241 | 17.3% |
| Meta-analyses | 50 | 3.6% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 50 | 3.6% |
Method: PubMed query "Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-29.
Reading the evidence in pharmacology
Drug evidence builds in layers: laboratory pharmacology describes how a compound acts, pharmacokinetic studies describe how the body handles it, and randomized trials test whether it helps and what harms it causes. Post-marketing surveillance and observational studies reveal rarer adverse effects but cannot prove causation. This page is educational and is not a recommendation to start, stop or change any medicine; decisions about treatment belong with a qualified clinician.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
Evaluation of Cytoreductive Surgery With or Without Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Stage III Epithelial Ovarian Cancer [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- ImportanceInterval cytoreductive surgery combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) showed promising oncologic outcomes for patients with advanced ovarian cancer, but a large-scale, multicenter study to evaluate the efficacy of HIPEC combined with primary cytoreductive surgery (PCS) has yet to be conducted.
- Closing excerpt
- When complete PCS is possible, this approach could be a valuable therapy for patients with stage III epithelial ovarian cancer.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (301 words)
ImportanceInterval cytoreductive surgery combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) showed promising oncologic outcomes for patients with advanced ovarian cancer, but a large-scale, multicenter study to evaluate the efficacy of HIPEC combined with primary cytoreductive surgery (PCS) has yet to be conducted.ObjectiveTo compare survival outcomes between PCS with HIPEC vs PCS alone for patients with stage III epithelial ovarian cancer.Design, setting, and participantsThis cohort study was conducted from January 2010 to May 2017 at 5 high-volume institutions in China. A total of 584 patients with stage III primary epithelial ovarian cancer were treated with either PCS alone or PCS with HIPEC. The median (interquartile range) follow-up period was 42.2 (33.3-51.0) months. Data analysis was conducted from August to December 2019.ExposuresPCS with HIPEC vs PCS alone.Main outcomes and measuresPrimary outcomes were median survival time and 3-year overall survival. The inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) method, based on propensity score, was used to control for confounding factors.ResultsFrom a total of 789 patients with stage III epithelial ovarian cancer, 584 patients (74.0%; mean [SD] age, 55.0 [10.5] years) were ultimately included for IPTW in this study. Of the 584 patients, 425 (72.8%) underwent PCS with HIPEC and 159 (27.2%) underwent PCS alone. After IPTW adjustment, the median survival time was 49.8 (95% CI, 45.2-60.2) months for patients undergoing PCS with HIPEC and 34.0 (95% CI, 28.9-41.5) months for patients undergoing PCS alone, and the 3-year overall survival rate was 60.3% (95% CI, 55.3%-65.0%) for patients undergoing PCS with HIPEC and 49.5% (95% CI, 41.0%-57.4%) for patients undergoing PCS alone (weighted hazard ratio, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.50-0.82; P Conclusions and relevanceIn this study, the PCS with HIPEC treatment approach was associated with better long-term survival. When complete PCS is possible, this approach could be a valuable therapy for patients with stage III epithelial ovarian cancer.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 32840622 · DOI · PMC7448829
The Temperature-Dependent Effectiveness of Platinum-Based Drugs Mitomycin-C and 5-FU during Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) in Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) followed by hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a treatment with curative intent for peritoneal metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC).
- Closing excerpt
- ConclusionOur in vitro results demonstrate that a 60-min exposure of platinum-based drugs and MMC are effective in treating 2D and 3D CRC cell cultures, where platinum-based drugs require hyperthermia (>41 °C) to augment effectivity, suggesting that they are, in principle, suitable for HIPEC.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (200 words)
Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) followed by hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a treatment with curative intent for peritoneal metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC). Currently, there is no standardized HIPEC protocol: choice of drug, perfusate temperature, and duration of treatment vary per institute. We investigated the temperature-dependent effectiveness of drugs often used in HIPEC.MethodsThe effect of temperature on drug uptake, DNA damage, apoptosis, cell cycle distribution, and cell growth were assessed using the temperature-dependent IC50 and Thermal Enhancement Ratio (TER) values of the chemotherapeutic drugs cisplatin, oxaliplatin, carboplatin, mitomycin-C (MMC), and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on 2D and 3D CRC cell cultures at clinically relevant hyperthermic conditions (38-43 °C/60 min).ResultsHyperthermia alone decreased cell viability and clonogenicity of all cell lines. Treatment with platinum-based drugs and MMC resulted in G2-arrest. Platinum-based drugs display a temperature-dependent synergy with heat, with increased drug uptake, DNA damage, and apoptosis at elevated temperatures. Apoptotic levels increased after treatment with MMC or 5-FU, without a synergy with heat.ConclusionOur in vitro results demonstrate that a 60-min exposure of platinum-based drugs and MMC are effective in treating 2D and 3D CRC cell cultures, where platinum-based drugs require hyperthermia (>41 °C) to augment effectivity, suggesting that they are, in principle, suitable for HIPEC.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 32722384 · DOI · PMC7464333
Phase II trial of prophylactic hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer after curative surgery [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundHIPEC is an emerging procedure to treat peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer.
- Closing excerpt
- proj=59692 .
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (282 words)
BackgroundHIPEC is an emerging procedure to treat peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer. Data about HIPEC in locally advanced gastric cancer is scarce. The purpose of this trial is to evaluate the safety and toxicity of prophylactic HIPEC with cisplatin for patients with locally advanced gastric cancer.MethodsFrom March 2015 to November 2016, a prospective, randomized phase II trial was conducted. After radical gastrectomy, patients in the experimental group underwent HIPEC with cisplatin followed by adjuvant chemotherapy with SOX regime. Patients in the other group were treated with SOX regime alone. Postoperative complications and patient survival were compared.ResultsIn total, 50 patients were eligible for analyses. No significant difference was found in the incidence of postoperative complications including anastomotic/intestinal leakage, liver dysfunction, bone marrow suppression, wound infection and ileus (P > 0.05). Mean duration of hospitalization after radical gastrectomy was 11.7 days. 12.2 days in experimental group and 10.8 days in control group respectively (P = 0.255). The percentage of patients with elevated tumor markers was 12.1% in experimental group, which was significantly lower than 41.2% in control group (P = 0.02). 3-year RFS of patients who treated with or without prophylactic HIPEC were 84.8 and 88.2% respectively (P = 0.986). In the multivariate analysis, pathological T stage was the only independent risk factor for the RFS of patients (P = 0.012, HR =15.071).ConclusionAdditional intraoperative HIPEC with cisplatin did not increase postoperative complications for locally advanced gastric cancer after curative surgery. Prophylactic HIPEC with cisplatin was safe and tolerable, while it did not reduce the risk of peritoneal recurrence in this trial, supporting further studies to validate the efficacy of it.Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2000038331. Registered 18 September 2020 - Retrospectively registered, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=59692 .
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 33653317 · DOI · PMC7923597
Effect of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy on patients with advanced colorectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BACKGROUND: Advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) predisposes to peritoneal metastases (PM), leading to a decreased survival rate.
- Closing excerpt
- Further investigation is required to clarify the role of HIPEC in more high-quality RCTs.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (268 words)
BACKGROUND: Advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) predisposes to peritoneal metastases (PM), leading to a decreased survival rate. Advanced CRC includes CRC with PM (CRC-PM) and locally advanced high-risk CRC without PM. The effectiveness of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in prolonging survival and in treating or preventing PM after surgery for advanced CRC is still uncertain. METHODS: A search of PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Web of science databases for relevant studies prior to April 2024 was performed. Data were analyzed using Stata/MP 17.0 software. The primary outcomes included overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Secondary outcomes were overall recurrence rate (ORR), PM rate, and complications. The quality of evidence was assessed using Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE). RESULTS: A total of ten high-quality cohort studies and four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included, encompassing 2851 patients. HIPEC improved 1-year DFS (odds ratio (OR) = 1.64, 95%Cl: 1.09–2.46) and 5-year OS (OR = 1.49, 95%Cl: 1.10–2.03) in advanced CRC. HIPEC also reduced the overall PM rate (OR = 0.66, 95%Cl: 0.49–0.90). For advanced high-risk CRC without prior PM, HIPEC reduced the PM rate and had a preventive effect (OR = 0.71, 95%Cl: 0.52–0.97). In terms of complications, HIPEC increased the incidence of thrombopenia (OR = 5.77, 95%Cl: 1.65–20.09) and neutropenia (OR = 3.21, 95%Cl: 1.74–5.90). The quality of evidence ranged from high to very low. CONCLUSION: The use of HIPEC in treating advanced CRC may result in improved survival rates and a reduction in peritoneal recurrence or metastasis, although complications should be considered. Further investigation is required to clarify the role of HIPEC in more high-quality RCTs.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 41612371 · DOI · PMC12980965
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Guidelines for Perioperative Care in Cytoreductive Surgery (CRS) with or without hyperthermic IntraPEritoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC): Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS®) Society Recommendations - Part I: Preoperative and intraoperative management [5]
- Research article Guidelines for Perioperative Care in Cytoreductive Surgery (CRS) with or without hyperthermic IntraPEritoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC): Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) Society Recommendations - Part II: Postoperative management and special considerations [6]
- Research article Prognostic impact of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in gastric cancer patients: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials [7]
- Research article Unresectable peritoneal metastasis treated by pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC) leading to cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy [8]
- Research article Peritoneal MRI in patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC: History, clinical applications, and implementation [9]
- Research article Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Colorectal Peritoneal Metastases: A Systematic Review [10]
References
- Lei Z, Wang Y, Wang J, Wang K, Tian J, Zhao Y, et al.. Evaluation of Cytoreductive Surgery With or Without Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Stage III Epithelial Ovarian Cancer. . 2020. PMID 32840622 · DOI · PMC7448829
- Helderman RFCPA, Löke DR, Verhoeff J, Rodermond HM, van Bochove GGW, Boon M, et al.. The Temperature-Dependent Effectiveness of Platinum-Based Drugs Mitomycin-C and 5-FU during Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) in Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines. . 2020. PMID 32722384 · DOI · PMC7464333
- Fan B, Bu Z, Zhang J, Zong X, Ji X, Fu T, et al.. Phase II trial of prophylactic hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer after curative surgery. . 2021. PMID 33653317 · DOI · PMC7923597
- Su Z, Guo Y, Ru X, Wang X, Mao Q, Zhou N, et al.. Effect of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy on patients with advanced colorectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. . 2026. PMID 41612371 · DOI · PMC12980965
- Hübner M, Kusamura S, Villeneuve L, Al-Niaimi A, Alyami M, Balonov K, et al.. Guidelines for Perioperative Care in Cytoreductive Surgery (CRS) with or without hyperthermic IntraPEritoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC): Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS®) Society Recommendations - Part I: Preoperative and intraoperative management. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2020. PMID 32873454 · DOI
- Hübner M, Kusamura S, Villeneuve L, Al-Niaimi A, Alyami M, Balonov K, et al.. Guidelines for Perioperative Care in Cytoreductive Surgery (CRS) with or without hyperthermic IntraPEritoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC): Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) Society Recommendations - Part II: Postoperative management and special considerations. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2020. PMID 32826114 · DOI
- Granieri S, Bonomi A, Frassini S, Chierici AP, Bruno F, Paleino S, et al.. Prognostic impact of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in gastric cancer patients: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2021. PMID 34001385 · DOI
- Alyami M, Mercier F, Siebert M, Bonnot PE, Laplace N, Villeneuve L, et al.. Unresectable peritoneal metastasis treated by pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC) leading to cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2021. PMID 31253545 · DOI
- Low RN, Barone RM, Rousset P. Peritoneal MRI in patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC: History, clinical applications, and implementation. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2021. PMID 30852063 · DOI
- Parikh MS, Johnson P, Romanes JP, Freitag HE, Spring ME, Garcia-Henriquez N, et al.. Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Colorectal Peritoneal Metastases: A Systematic Review. Dis Colon Rectum. 2022. PMID 34636780 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-29.
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