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 the 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. While this treatment is routinely available across England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, there has been no treatment centre in Wales and patients have historically faced significant barriers to access.
In May 2022, Moondance Cancer Initiative funded the establishment of the All-Wales Colorectal Peritoneal Metastasis Service. To date, over 40 patients have received this life-extending and, in some cases, curative treatment, with expert advice offered for an additional 250 cases.
Established by Cardiff & Vale University Health Board with guidance from clinical and managerial teams at the world-leading Peritoneal Malignancy Institute in Basingstoke, the All-Wales service is now led by a dedicated multidisciplinary team (MDT) with expertise in colorectal peritoneal malignancy. The service is now linked with other centres of excellence across the UK and is delivering comparable outcomes. Furthermore, it has demonstrated that Wales can provide high-quality, effective clinical care for eligible patients at a cost that is affordable for NHS Wales
To ensure continued equitable access to this treatment for suitable patients across Wales, a second period of funding has been agreed (from August 2024) while arrangements for sustainable funding are progressed.
As the the funding organisation, we do not have access to individual patient cases and cannot facilitate meetings between patients and clinicians.