Hot chemotherapy a new, cutting-edge procedure

A cutting-edge surgical procedure is allowing cancer patients to avoid numerous and often draining chemotherapy appointments.

Dr. Rajesh Ramanathan joined us on “Arizona Horizon” and is one of two oncologists at Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center who performs a technique called hot chemotherapy.

It’s called the Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) surgery. Cancerous tumors are surgically removed, and then heated chemotherapy drugs are applied directly inside the abdomen to eliminate remaining cancerous cells. It’s also known as “hot chemotherapy.”

According to Dr. Ramanathan, the HIPEC procedure is targeted for patients that deal with abdominal cancer specifically because regular chemotherapy does not affect abdominal cancer the same.

“This is usually done in conjunction with the IV chemotherapy to try and really clear up the cancer and the cancer cells in the abdominal cavity,” Dr. Ramanathan said.