Abstract Background Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) following cytoreductive surgery is a potentially curative treatment for patients with peritoneal metastases. Currently, there is no standardized protocol for performing HIPEC and there is large variation in the key parameters. In vivo models can be a valuable tool to better understand the impact of these parameters and how to improve this treatment strategy. Methods Peritoneal tumors were established in immunodeficient mice by intraperitoneal injection of the high-grade serous human ovarian cancer cell line B76. Thirty-minute perfusion with cisplatin or mitomycin C at 37 or 41 °C was performed 4 days later. Treatment efficacy was assessed by measuring bioluminescence and overall survival. Results We successfully established a closed peritoneal chemotherapy perfusion model in mice bearing peritoneal metastases. Perfusion with cisplatin and mitomycin C significantly inhibited tumor growth and increased overall survival by 38–48%. The addition of hyperthermia did not improve survival, although a clear synergistic effect with hyperthermia was observed in vitro for both drugs. Conclusion The results suggest that intraperitoneal perfusion of cisplatin and mitomycin C can be a valuable adjuvant to cytoreductive surgery, while the addition of moderate hyperthermia did not improve efficacy. Additional studies investigating long-term outcome are necessary to determine the impact of hyperthermia as a component of the HIPEC procedure.
Andersson et al. (Mon,) studied this question.