The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center has initiated a new clinical trial to explore the efficacy of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in treating ovarian cancer. This surgical technique, typically used for digestive cancers, is being applied to ovarian cancer patients in hopes of improving outcomes.

Ovarian cancer remains one of the deadliest forms of cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that 120 individuals in New Mexico will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2024, with 70 expected fatalities. National Cancer Institute data indicates a five-year survival rate of approximately 50.9%.

Ovarian cancer often presents vague symptoms and lacks early-stage screening tests, leading to late diagnoses when tumors have already spread throughout the peritoneum. Conventional chemotherapy affects many cells in the body, whereas regional therapies like HIPEC target specific areas.

“Delivering chemotherapy directly into the abdomen allows us to give high doses of chemotherapy onto the surfaces of the abdominal organs while avoiding high doses circulating in the bloodstream,” said Dr. Alissa Greenbaum, who leads the HIPEC program at UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Dr. Greenbaum is currently New Mexico's only HIPEC-trained surgeon, having received specialized training at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey. The HIPEC procedure involves two steps: removing visible tumors from the peritoneum and then administering heated chemotherapy drugs directly into it for 90 minutes.

While HIPEC is standard for stage IV appendix cancer and also treats colorectal cancer, mesothelioma, stomach cancer, and other cancers that spread to the peritoneum, its application to ovarian cancer could offer significant benefits.

“Many studies are showing that when combined with other cancer treatments, HIPEC can help patients live longer,” Dr. Greenbaum added.

However, surgery with HIPEC carries risks and requires extended hospital recovery time due to potential side effects like sluggish digestion.

Dr. Carolyn Muller, Associate Director for Clinical Research at UNM Cancer Center and leader of its Gynecologic Oncology team, stated: “HIPEC could be ideal as a component of ovarian cancer treatment.” She noted that most ovarian cancer patients are diagnosed at stage III or IV when tumors have spread extensively within the peritoneal cavity.

A 2018 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that ovarian cancer patients who underwent surgery with HIPEC lived an average of 12 months longer than those who had standard surgery.

The clinical trial at UNM will compare standard surgery with surgery using HIPEC and assess whether it extends patient survival rates. It will also examine maintenance therapy post-surgery and track disease recurrence rates.

UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center is among 23 sites nationwide offering this trial. Not all ovarian cancer patients will qualify; however, Dr. Muller encourages those needing pre-surgery chemotherapy to consider participation.

“Not every patient will qualify for the procedure,” Dr. Greenbaum emphasized, “but we would rather capture more patients who could benefit than miss them completely.”

The clinical trial titled “Heated Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy Followed by Niraparib for Ovarian, Primary Peritoneal and Fallopian Tube Cancer (HOTT)” is now open at UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center.

UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center serves as New Mexico’s official NCI-designated center within a 500-mile radius. Its multidisciplinary team includes over 136 board-certified oncology specialists providing comprehensive care across various types of cancers to about 65% of New Mexico’s patients annually.