The worlds first cytoreduction and intraperitoneal chemotherapy on a child

9.06.2020

The operational team: Professor P. Czauderna, Professor T. Jastrzębski, J. Suszek M.A., M. Bielewicz M.D., H. Garnier M.D., M. Murawski Ph.D, A. Raczkowska M.A., M. Kamińska M.A.

On the 4th of June MUG’s specialists had conducted the worlds first cytoreduction and intraperitoneal chemotherapy on a child under the age of 1. The operational team was managed by Prof. Piotr Czauderna, the Head of the Department of Surgery and Urology for Children and Adolescents and by Prof. Tomasz Jastrzębski, from the Department of Oncologic Surgery. Until now, the procedure has been performer on patients over age of 2, however, after applying some modifications, it was performed on a 7 month-old child, diagnosed with non-RMS soft tissue sarcomas.

Due to the patient’s age, doctors had to modify the standard HIPEC (intraperitoneal hyperthermic chemo perfusion) procedure. This was the worlds first intraperitoneal chemotherapy, according to available literature. Tumors in the peritoneal cavity are usually associated with advanced stage of disease, poor prognosis and frequent recrudescence. They are very resistant to intravenous chemotherapy, which is caused by the existence of a physiological peritoneal barrier – plasma, which limits the absorption of drugs. The most effective treatment for these cancers is the locally adapted cytostatics in the form of intraperitoneal chemotherapy.