Getting Diagnosed with Peritoneal Cancer

If you have been diagnosed with peritoneal cancer, you may feel concerned or distressed. It helps to know the expert clinicians in the Peritoneal Cancer Center at UMass Memorial Health Cancer Center provide the most advanced surgical and non-surgical treatment options. Peritoneal cancer is a complex cancer in the abdominal region, such as on the appendix. Once considered untreatable, major advances have led to improved outcomes and quality of life for patients with peritoneal cancer.

Peritoneal Diseases We Treat

Peritoneal carcinomatosis refers to the growth of tumor cells on the surfaces of organs. Tumors may also grow on the tissue lining of the abdominal cavity (e.g., the peritoneum). Because there are so many organs in the abdomen, cancer may spread from one organ to the next.

The following organs may be affected by peritoneal cancer:

• Appendix
• Stomach
• Intestines
• Liver
• Spleen
• Gall bladder
• Ovaries and uterus (in women)

Peritoneal Cancer Services We Provide

UMass Memorial Medical Center is one of the few New England hospitals to offer hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). It is considered a high-volume program and our skilled surgical oncologists are nationally recognized for using this treatment. Surgery is another option for certain patients with peritoneal cancer, thanks to improvements in our understanding of the disease. During surgery (e.g., cytoreductive surgery or tumor debulking), our surgeons remove as much of the tumor as possible.

Additional Resources

Visit the following websites to learn more about peritoneal cancer:

• PMP Pals' Network
• PMP Research Foundation