A comparative study of complete cytoreductive surgery plus intraperitoneal chemotherapy to treat peritoneal dissemination from colon, rectum, small bowel, and nonpseudomyxoma appendix.

Objective: To report a large number of patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) treated with complete cytoreductive (CCR-0) plus intraperitoneal chemotherapy, and to compare the results according to the origin of the primary: colon, rectum, small bowel, and appendix (excluding peritoneal pseudomyxoma).

Patients And Methods: Among 615 patients treated for PC originating from these 4 types of primaries in 23 French centers, 440 were retrospectively selected as having undergone complete cytoreductive surgery and with complete data retrieval. Primary sites were: colon (n=341), rectum (n=27), appendix (n=41), and small bowel (n=31).

Results: Postoperative mortality and morbidity (3.9% and 31%, respectively) did not differ according to the origin of the primary tumor. The mean follow-up was 60 months. The 5-year overall survival rates were not statistically different for the colon (29.7%), rectum (37.9%), nor the small bowel (33.8%), but was higher (P=0.01) for appendix adenocarcinoma (63.2%). The multivariate analysis of prognostic factors singled out the extent of peritoneal seeding (P<0.0001), positive lymph nodes (P=0.001), and adjuvant systemic chemotherapy (P=0.002), whereas the origin of the tumor was borderline (P=0.06) in favor of appendix tumors.

Conclusion: Cytoreductive surgery plus intraperitoneal chemotherapy yields satisfying and similar survival results in the treatment of PC from colon, rectum, and small bowel adenocarcinomas. Results were better for appendix adenocarcinoma. When feasible, this combined approach should become the gold standard treatment of PC.