Santiago's Case

This is the case of Santiago, a patient diagnosed with widespread peritoneal carcinomatosis. When he received the diagnosis, his world collapsed. Doctors at his hospital told him his case was inoperable and treatment options were very limited — they could only offer him chemotherapy. He lost over 20 kg.

Peritoneal carcinomatosis is a condition where cancer has spread across the surface of the peritoneum, the membrane lining the abdominal cavity. For a long time, it was considered a terminal disease with no possibility of curative treatment. However, advances in cytoreductive surgery combined or not with HIPEC, along with strategies combining other treatments, have radically changed the prognosis for many patients.

Santiago did not give up. Searching for options, he reached the consultation of Drs. François Quenet and Juan José Torrent, world leaders in the treatment of peritoneal carcinomatosis. After a thorough evaluation, the team determined that Santiago was a candidate for complete cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC.

The intervention was a success. The surgical team managed to remove all visible tumor implants from the peritoneum and, during the same surgery, hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) was applied to destroy residual microscopic cancer cells. This combined treatment offers the best chances of long-term disease control.

"They told me there was nothing to be done, to go home. Today I'm here, alive, thanks to Drs. Quenet and Torrent who believed my case had a solution." — Santiago, patient

Today, Santiago is disease-free and continues with periodic follow-up checks. His story is a testimony that, with the right team and necessary experience, cases that others consider lost can have a hopeful ending. Peritoneal carcinomatosis is no longer synonymous with a death sentence, but an opportunity when treated at specialized centers.