Targeted discovery in peritoneal surface malignancies
Peritoneal metastasis (PM) is characterized by the presence of widespread tumor lesions on the peritoneal surfaces, and is a major cause of cancer death in abdominal malignancies. PM may originate from primary colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer, appendiceal cancer or mesothelioma. These malignancies are treated with cytoreductive surgery (CRS), followed by hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) to kill the remaining tumor cells. The treatment is demanding with risk of complications, and the outcome is highly variable. Thus, finding biomarkers and new therapeutic targets is needed to facilitate treatment selection and discover new possible treatment options for these patients.