Thiruvananthapuram: The medical team at KIMSHEALTH successfully performed an innovative keyhole therapy to treat a 60-year-old ovarian cancer patient. PIPAC was made effective on the Thiruvananthapuram native under the leadership of Dr. Jayanand Sunil, Consultant & Coordinator, Department of Surgical Oncology. PIPAC delivers chemotherapy in the form of a pressurised aerosol through a keyhole to treat advanced stomach, uterus, colorectal, and ovarian cancers.
The medical team chose PIPAC after the patient reached an advanced stage of ovarian cancer where conventional chemotherapy had failed. PIPAC treatment involves delivering chemotherapy in the form of a pressurised aerosol through keyhole surgery, similar to how inhalers administer medication directly into the lungs. According to Dr. Jayanand Sunil, in such cases, PIPAC is more effective, safer, and has fewer side effects than conventional chemotherapy.
After presenting with symptoms, the patient underwent extensive diagnostic procedures that confirmed the advanced stage of ovarian cancer. Despite undergoing three cycles of chemotherapy, the disease showed no improvement. Subsequently, the patient underwent cytoreductive surgery after completing six cycles of chemotherapy. At the time of surgery, doctors initiated second-line chemotherapy due to the patient’s lack of response to conventional chemotherapy. However, even after the completion of surgery, the tumor markers in the blood continued to increase, leading to the decision to administer PIPAC treatment.
Following the success of the procedure, the patient was discharged after two days of hospital stay and is advised to have more sessions along with systemic chemotherapy. Dr. Jayanand Sunil is the only doctor in Kerala trained and certified to undertake the PIPAC procedure. He has also undergone expert training for it at ISSPP, Tel Aviv, Israel.