PIPAC Therapy and Quality of Life

Pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC) is a new locoregional treatment for peritoneal carcinomatosis. The safety and efficacy of PIPAC have been documented in case reports, retrospective cohort studies, and prospective clinical phase I and phase II trials in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis derived from various malignancies such as ovarian, gastric, and colon cancer. PIPAC is an alternative to palliative systemic chemotherapy based on its locoregional cytotoxic properties as well as its positive effects on the patients’ quality of life. A number of studies looked at quality-of-life issues during PIPAC treatment and observed a stabilization and/or improvement of overall quality of life, role functioning, social functioning, physical performance, and cognitive performance as well as gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Based on these observations, it may be concluded that, as a palliative treatment of peritoneal carcinomatosis, PIPAC has positive effects on multiple levels of quality of life.