Hepatocellular Carcinoma Peritoneal Metastasis: Role of Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC).

INTRODUCTION: Peritoneal dissemination of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a rare presentation with an incidence of 2-6%. The most common cause of peritoneal deposits is a ruptured HCC that results in tumor spillage into the peritoneal cavity. The overall incidence of spontaneous ruptures of HCC ranges from 5 to 15% and carries a high mortality rate of up to 50%. Other factors influencing peritoneal dissemination are the lymph node metastasis and the direct diaphragmatic invasion and there is no significant association with past history of FNAB, or percutaneous RFA or ethanol injection and lung or adrenal metastasis. Clinical Study: We present our experience with 4 patients with localized peritoneal metastases from HCC controlled and managed with cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). The mean peritoneal cancer index (PCI) was 10.2. In two cases there is a history of rupture at the onset of diagnosis and in one case dissemination of peritoneal cavity after FNB procedure. All patients after CRS and HIPEC received Sorafenib.

RESULTS: In our study the mean time of onset of peritoneal metastasis was 13.5 months from initial operation and the mean survival was 30 months. Our results are comparable with other studies.

CONCLUSION: Peritoneal metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma is rare and the benefit of systemic chemotherapy is poor and from Sorafenib is not well described. Surgical resection of extrahepatic HCC metastasis remains challenging. However several case reports and a few case series have provided that surgical resection of HCC peritoneal implants may benefit. We believe from our experience in well-selected patients with peritoneal metastasis from HCC, cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC and Sorafenib may prolong survival compared to systemic chemotherapy alone.