NCT07282834

Heated Versus Aerosol-based Laparoscopic Chemotherapy for Cancer That Has Spread to the Peritoneum (Abdominal Lining)

Randomized Phase II Trial of Heated Vs. Pressurized/Aerosolized Chemotherapy (HIPEC vs. PIPAC) for Peritoneal Carcinomatosis

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: Phase 2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 200 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Patrick Wagner, MD, FACS · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 80 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This research study aims to improve the treatment of Peritoneal Carcinomatosis (PC), a condition where cancer spreads within the abdomen. Patients with PC often experience significant pain and nutritional problems. Currently, there isn't a standard treatment approach, and doctors use different combinations of chemotherapy, surgery, and methods to deliver chemotherapy directly into the abdomen (intra-peritoneal or "IP" chemotherapy). The study will compare two IP chemotherapy methods: HIPEC and PIPAC. HIPEC involves circulating heated chemotherapy through the abdomen during surgery, while PIPAC delivers chemotherapy as a pressurized aerosol during a laparoscopic procedure. Both methods aim to achieve the same goal, but they haven't been directly compared to see which is safer, more tolerable, more effective, and provides better value.

Detailed description

Mitomycin C is the chemotherapy that is being administered but it is not being evaluated in the study. Mitomycin C is an FDA-approved antineoplastic antibiotic, meaning it's a type of chemotherapy drug used to treat cancer. It works by interfering with DNA synthesis, which is essential for cell growth and division. By disrupting DNA, mitomycin C can prevent cancer cells from multiplying and spreading. The study will enroll up to 200 patients who will be randomly assigned (like the flip of a coin) to receive either HIPEC or PIPAC. Participants will be active on the study for 120-180 days. During the study, patients will undergo standard diagnostic laparoscopies (a minimally invasive surgical procedure) to assess their eligibility for surgery to remove as much cancer as possible. Before treatment begins, small tissue samples (biopsies) will be taken for analysis in the pathology department. A small portion of this tissue will be saved by the researchers to study the effects of treatment on tumors. Patients will then receive three rounds of chemotherapy administered by either HIPEC or PIPAC, each about six weeks apart, and each during a laparoscopic procedure. Tumor tissue biopsies will be collected at the time of each treatment for analysis in the pathology department, and a small portion of each biopsy will again be saved by the researchers for laboratory work to study the effects of the treatment on tumors. Finally, patients will have another laparoscopy to assess the treatment's effect and check for any side effects. Although patients will be followed for up to 5 years, no study-specific follow-up visits are required. Participants undergoing this type of treatment also complete quality-of-life surveys at the start of the study, and after each IP chemotherapy treatment, that asks about general health, well-being and ability to do daily activities. Patient responses to these surveys are collected for research purposes. HIPEC and PIPAC chemotherapy, are already standard ways to treat PC. This means there's no extra risk to study participants. However, as with any treatment, there are some potential risks, such as infection inside the abdomen or injury to organs during the procedure to deliver the chemotherapy. These risks are small and would be the same whether the participant were in the study or receiving these treatments as part of their normal care.

Conditions

• Peritoneal (Metastatic) Cancer
• Peritoneal Carcinomatosis
• Abdominal Cancer
• Abdominal Cancer Patients

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	Heated intra-peritoneal chemotherapy	Mitomyocin C 40 mg will be administered in divided doses (30mg at time zero and 10mg at 60 minutes) for a total of 90 minutes at 41-43 degrees Celsius. Laparoscopic HIPEC will then be repeated laparoscopically up to two more times at 45 +/- 15 day intervals until three doses have been completed.
PROCEDURE	Aerosolized intra-peritoneal chemotherapy	PIPAC will be performed with mitomycin C, 12.5mg/m2, delivered laparoscopically for 30 minutes at ambient temperature. Laparoscopic PIPAC or be repeated laparoscopically up to two more times at 45 +/- 15 day intervals until three doses have been completed.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-01-05
• Primary completion: 2035-12-01
• Completion: 2040-11-01
• First posted: 2025-12-15
• Last updated: 2026-02-27

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States

Regulatory

• FDA-regulated drug study