HIPEC Clinical Trial Opens

MOCC is pleased to share the news that a surgical clinical trial for women with mucinous ovarian cancer opened on January 12, 2022, at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. The trial will expand to include Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York later in 2022.

Two of our Physician Advisory Committee members, Dr. Michael Frumovitz from MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Dr. Jenny Mueller, from Memorial Sloan Kettering, have been instrumental in bringing this much-needed trial to fruition. The surgical trial uses the HIPEC procedure, which combines surgery and chemotherapy, to treat women with mucinous ovarian cancer who experience a recurrence of their disease.

What is HIPEC?

HIPEC, which stands for hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) surgery, is a two-stage process. The first step is to surgically remove the cancerous tumors and diseased tissue. The second step is to insert a catheter containing chemotherapy drugs into the abdominal cavity.

The catheter is connected to a perfusion machine that heats the chemotherapy drugs and moves them through the abdomen. This part of the procedure generally takes one to two hours. The surgeon then drains the remaining chemotherapy from the abdomen, rinses the abdomen with a salt solution, and closes the incision.

The process has been used with success in a variety of cancers including colon, appendix, and pancreatic.

Contact MD Anderson to Learn More

If you think you or a patient in your care might be a candidate for the trial at MD Anderson Cancer Center, please contact the Trial Coordinator, Alejandra Flores. Her email is aflegarreta@mdanderson.org

For more details on participating in this study, visit the Clinical Trials page at the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Donate to MOCC to Help Fund Research

Research on mucinous ovarian cancer is woefully underfunded. To help expand opportunities for early detection and treatment, please consider a donation to MOCC. Your gift is 100% tax deductible. Use our online platform to donate today. Every dollar counts in the fight!