Abstract
Peritoneal surface disease (PSD) has historically been used interchangeably with the
term peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) and has a dismal natural history. A variety of
malignant pathologies, including colorectal and appendiceal primary tumors, can disseminate
throughout the peritoneal cavity, leading to bowel obstruction and death. In general,
peritoneal spread from high-grade appendiceal and colorectal primaries has the potential
of hepatic and distant spread and best classified as PC. Low-grade appendiceal tumors
are better categorized as PSD, due to low cellularity, high mucin production, and
lack of potential spread outside the peritoneal cavity. Growing international experience
with cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) over
the past 30 years has presented a therapeutic option to patients with PSD from colorectal
and appendiceal tumors that can provide significant disease control, as well as potential
for previously unattainable long-term survival. The proliferation of HIPEC centers
and ongoing prospective trials are helping to standardize HIPEC techniques and patient
selection.
Keywords
peritoneal surface disease - peritoneal carcinomatosis - appendiceal cancer - hyperthermic
intraperitoneal chemotherapy - colorectal adenocarcinoma - cytoreductive surgery -
peritoneal metastasis
