Peritoneal Cancer Survival Rates: A Look at Stages and Diagnostic Methods
Peritoneal cancer, a type of cancer that occurs in the peritoneum, a membrane in a person's abdomen, can be a challenging diagnosis, especially when it is detected at an advanced stage. However, advancements in treatment have led to improved survival rates for those affected.
Doctors often diagnose people with primary peritoneal cancer at stage 3 or 4, while those with peritoneal metastasis are almost always at stage 4. The location of the primary tumor can affect the survival rate of people with peritoneal cancer.
Modern multimodal therapies, which include intraperitoneal chemotherapy, pressurized aerosol chemotherapy, surgery, and targeted therapies, have shown significant improvements in survival rates for peritoneal cancer.
One such treatment is hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) surgery, which helps remove traces of cancerous tissue and lowers the risk of the cancer spreading again. People who receive this treatment may survive for around 60 months.
Another promising treatment is pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC), which is minimally invasive and enhances drug delivery. Some patients who receive this treatment may proceed to curative surgery.
The 5-year survival rate for peritoneal mesothelioma, a common type of peritoneal cancer, is about 65%, which is significantly higher than that for pleural mesothelioma (12%) and reflects improvements in treatment over the past two decades.
The survival rates for peritoneal cancer are estimates and do not account for all factors, such as a person's age, overall health, and new therapies. A relative survival rate compares the life expectancy of a person with a particular condition to those without the condition.
The most common type of peritoneal cancer is secondary, which means it has spread to other parts of the body. The survival rates for secondary peritoneal cancer depend on the stage of the other cancer a person has. For example, a median survival rate for secondary peritoneal cancer is 6 months, but stages 0, 1, and 2 have a survival rate of 5-10 months, and stages 3 and 4 have a survival rate of 2-3.9 months.
Palliative treatments are not usually curative but aim to make a person more comfortable and improve their quality of life. Paracentesis, a procedure where doctors remove fluid from the abdomen, can relieve symptoms and help doctors diagnose peritoneal cancer.
In sum, modern multimodal therapies combining surgery and heated or normothermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC, NIPEC) provide the best survival outcomes for peritoneal mesothelioma, with 5-year survival rates reaching 65-75% in ideal cases, far surpassing traditional systemic chemotherapy alone. Emerging locoregional treatments like PIPAC are showing promise by improving drug delivery directly into the peritoneal cavity, potentially prolonging survival and enabling surgery for some.
