Following the liver, the peritoneum (the thin lining of the abdominal cavity) is the second most common site for colorectal cancer spread. Unfortunately, when colorectal cancer spreads to the peritoneum, patient outcomes have traditionally been very poor.
In recent years a combined surgical and chemotherapy technique has been developed and approved by NICE. It involves removing peritoneum, followed by chemotherapy directly into the abdominal cavity. For suitable patients, this treatment is shown to lead to survival for 5 years or more for over 50% who receive it. This treatment is available in all parts of the UK except Wales.
The initial period of funding (May 2022 - September 2023) examined the feasibility of establishing and sustaining a colorectal peritoneal metastasis cancer service for Wales. Guided by clinical and managerial teams from the world leading Peritoneal Malignancy Institute at Basingstoke, Cardiff & Vale University Health Board established a dedicated multi-disciplinary team (MDT) with expertise in colorectal peritoneal malignancy. By the end of the initial funding period, 15 patients from across Wales were successfully treated with cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC with comparable outcomes to colleagues in Basingstoke. In addition to the patients treated, the MDT provided feedback to clinicians for over one hundred patients with colorectal peritoneal metastases to aid treatment decisions.
A second period of funding has been agreed (from August 2024) to ensure that the service remains accessible to patients across Wales while arrangements for sustainable funding are progressed.
Please note as the funding organisation, we do not have any involvement or access to individual patient cases, and we are unable to facilitate meetings between patients and clinicians.