Kauvery Hospital, Tirunelveli Pioneers Advanced Cancer Surgery That Combines Tumour Removal and Targeted Chemotherapy

• Primary Peritoneal Carcinomatosis is a rare and aggressive cancer that most commonly affects women after menopause and is often diagnosed at an advanced stage.
• The hospital combines cytoreductive surgery to remove visible tumours with intraperitoneal chemotherapy to directly target microscopic cancer cells after surgery.

In a significant medical milestone for South Tamil Nadu, Kauvery Hospital, Tirunelveli, has successfully combined cytoreductive surgery and intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy — a first-of-its-kind procedure in the region — to save the life of a 62-year-old woman suffering from advanced-stage Primary Peritoneal Carcinomatosis, a rare cancer of the peritoneum.

The combined treatment approach removed visible cancer cells and destroyed residual microscopic cancer cells, ensuring a complete recovery and paving the way for advanced cancer care in the region. The patient showed excellent postoperative recovery, was discharged in good health, and continues to do well under regular follow-up care.

The patient had been diagnosed with this aggressive disease at an advanced third stage by the time of diagnosis. The surgical team at Kauvery Hospital opted for an integrated approach. It first performed cytoreductive surgery involving the removal of the peritoneum and all visible cancer tissues in the affected organs, reducing the tumour burden to a minimal level.

Immediately after surgery, the team administered intraperitoneal chemotherapy, delivering anti-cancer drugs directly into the abdominal cavity to target and destroy microscopic cancer cells that might have escaped surgical removal.

The surgical team was led by Dr. Anitha Gandhi, a reputed surgical oncologist, assisted by Dr. M. J. Muralikannan, along with the anaesthesia team comprising Dr. Kamadevi, Dr. Sai, Dr. Inbarasan, and Dr. Maharajan.

In her remarks, Dr. Anitha Gandhi explained that ovarian and peritoneal cancers are among the most challenging and life-threatening cancers, as nearly two-thirds of patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage. “This patient was no exception — she came to us in Stage III. We initially administered six cycles of chemotherapy and later performed surgery to remove all affected organs, including the peritoneum. The most critical component of the treatment was IP chemotherapy, a recent advancement in ovarian and peritoneal cancer therapy,” she said.

“The patient was discharged on the twelfth day after surgery and is now recovering well. This marks the first time in South Tamil Nadu that cytoreductive surgery and intraperitoneal chemotherapy have been successfully combined for the treatment of Primary Peritoneal Carcinomatosis,” she added.