Mt. Sinai
One Gustave L. Levy Place
New York, NY 10029



Mount Sinai is the site of one of the busiest Hyperthermic Intraperitneal Chemoperfusion (HIPEC) programs in the country. Our Surgical Oncology team at has performed nearly 250 HIPEC procedures. This technique, which combines surgery with chemotherapy, has revolutionized the treatment of cancers in the abdominal lining.

HIPEC delivers heated chemotherapy directly into the abdominal cavity, where it penetrates the diseased tissue directly. The hyperthermia further increases absorption of the chemotherapy solution into tumor cells. Because HIPEC allows the chemotherapy to be delivered directly to the site, the side effects of intravenous chemotherapy are eliminated. Additionally, it destroys undetected cancer cells after the tumor has been removed, preventing them from forming into new tumors and causing a recurrence of cancer.

“Abdominal cancers have historically been difficult to treat,” notes Division Chief of Surgical Oncology Daniel Labow, MD. “But the HIPEC combination procedure has proven to significantly extend patient survival rates.”

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HIPEC at Mt. Sinai

What does HIPEC stand for and what does it mean?

HIPEC stands for hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy. The term “intraperitoneal” means that the treatment is delivered to the abdominal cavity. The term “hyperthermic chemotherapy” simply means that the solution containing chemotherapy is heated to a temperature that is greater than normal body temperature.

How does HIPEC work?

HIPEC uses a combination of heat and chemotherapy. The procedure is done by first removing all visible tumors. This is followed by an internal bath of heated chemotherapeutic solution to kill any remaining cancer cells. Before HIPEC is administered, the surgeon – using standard surgical methods – qill remove all visible tumors that can be removed throughout the peritoneal cavity. This is known as cytoreductive surgery.

How does HIPEC differ from traditional chemotherapy?

Some types of cancers are very difficult to treat, particularly the ones located in the abdominal cavity. HIPEC experts say the heat makes the chemotherapy more powerful at killing these cancer cells.

What cancers does HIPEC treat?

HIPEC treats tumors in the abdominal (peritoneal) lining that stem from colon, gastric, ovarian appendiceal tumors, mesothelioma and other cancers.

What are the benefits of HIPEC?

In certain patients, HIPEC may help improve prognosis by treating abdominal tumors aggressively while minimizing the negative effects of intravenous chemotherapy.

Who is a candidate for HIPEC?

It is best to discuss with your doctor if this procedure is right for you. Doctors at Mount Sinai have been on the forefront of this groundbreaking procedure.