Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy and Interval Debulking Surgery in Conjunction With Elective Cesarean Delivery

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer is rare during pregnancy. For patients beyond 20 weeks of gestation who choose to continue the pregnancy, neoadjuvant chemotherapy may be initiated, followed by interval debulking surgery. Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) may be used with interval debulking surgery for stage III epithelial ovarian cancer, but data are lacking on its administration in the peripartum period. CASE: We illustrate the case of a 40-year-old patient diagnosed with stage III epithelial ovarian cancer at 27 weeks of gestation who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by cesarean delivery at term along with interval debulking surgery and HIPEC. The intervention was well tolerated and resulted in the birth of a healthy neonate. The postoperative period was unremarkable, and the patient is disease-free after 22-months of follow-up. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate the feasibility of peripartum HIPEC. Optimal oncologic care should not be jeopardized by the peripartum state of an otherwise healthy patient.