Mercy Physicians Present at International Gynecologic Cancer Society Meeting in Lisbon, Portugal

Dr. Armando Sardi, Medical Director, Institute for Cancer Care at Mercy Medical Center, and Dr. Teresa Diaz-Montes, Associate Director, The Lya Segall Ovarian Cancer Institute at Mercy, presented at the 16th Biennial Meeting of the International Gynecologic Cancer Society (IGCS) in Lisbon, Portugal, Oct. 29-31, 2016. 

Beginning spring of 2014, Drs. Sardi and Diaz-Montes initiated recruitment for a new Ovarian Cancer HIPEC (Hyperthermic or Heated Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy) clinical trial to run 1-2 years with a 5-year follow-up. In Lisbon, Drs. Sardi and Diaz-Montes made several presentations relative to this field of research, details below:

1st Presentation:

Abstract/Poster Title: Outcomes of Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) in the Treatment of Primary Peritoneal Carcinoma

Authors: Armando Sardi MD, Teresa P. Díaz-Montes MD, Arkadii Sipok MD, Michelle Sittig RN, Carol Nieroda MD, Vadim Gushchin MD

Presenter: Armando Sardi, MD

Summary: Primary peritoneal carcinoma (PPC) is a gynecological tumor traditionally treated with surgery and systemic chemotherapy (SC), resulting in a 30% five year survival rate. In this retrospective study, our goal was to determine the feasibility of CRS/HIPEC as a treatment for patients with PPC. We discovered that CRS/HIPEC and adjuvant SC provided for five-year survival rates higher than previously reported for PPC patients that have received conventional therapy with surgical debulking and SC. A randomized prospective study is warranted.

2nd Presentation:

Abstract/Poster Title: Initial Experience of Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) During Interval Cytoreduction for the Management of Advanced Stage Ovarian/Primary Peritoneal Malignancies

Authors: Teresa Díaz-Montes MD, Carlos Munoz Zuluaga MD, Vadim Gushchin MD, Carol Nieroda MD, Victoria Eskay, Armando Sardi MD

Presenter: Teresa Diaz Montes, MD

Summary: Standard treatment for patients with advanced ovarian cancer or primary peritoneal carcinoma involves removal of tumor followed by intravenous (IV) and/or intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy. We reported our experience in patients with advanced ovarian cancer and primary peritoneal carcinoma treated with chemotherapy prior to surgery (neo-adjuvant chemotherapy) followed by CRS/HIPEC. These patients were unable to undergo initial surgery secondary to disease symptoms and/or tumor burden. We found that neo-adjuvant chemotherapy reduces the amount of disease, while increasing the ability to remove the tumor. We also determined that HIPEC during CRS is a safe treatment that may eliminate the need for intraperitoneal chemotherapy after surgery.

Teresa P. Diaz-Montes, M.D., MPH, is a noted expert and gynecologic oncologist with The Gynecologic Oncology Center at Mercy, a leading Center in Baltimore for the treatment of cancers of the female reproductive tract. Dr. Teresa Diaz-Montes provides diagnosis and treatment for gynecologic cancers including ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, uterine cancer, vaginal cancer and vulvar cancer.

Armando Sardi, M.D., is a respected and renowned Surgical Oncologist who has been honored as a Top Doc in Baltimore magazine multiple times. He serves as Medical Director of The Institute for Cancer Care at Mercy and as Chief of Division of Surgical Oncology at Mercy Medical Center in Downtown Baltimore, Maryland.