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Abdominal abscess

Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Gastric Cancer Yields Mixed Results

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Research from Sichuan University published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews in 2025 has yielded new data on the effects of intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IPC) in gastric cancer patients, with mixed results on survival rates, quality of life, and adverse events.

The study, which included nine parallel randomized controlled trials involving 829 participants, found that IPC may improve overall survival and has little to no effect on anastomotic leakage and intra-abdominal abscess. However, the results are highly uncertain and require cautious interpretation due to very low-certainty evidence. The study also found that prophylactic IPC may have little to no effect on tumor recurrence and intra-abdominal abscess.

The study's findings suggest that IPC may be beneficial for gastric cancer patients, but the current evidence is limited and more high-quality, long-term randomized controlled trials are needed to determine the effectiveness and safety of IPC. The researchers also emphasized the need for further investigation into the effects of IPC on quality of life and adverse events.

Key Takeaways:

  • IPC may improve overall survival in gastric cancer patients, but the evidence is of very low certainty.
  • IPC may have little to no effect on anastomotic leakage and intra-abdominal abscess.
  • Prophylactic IPC may have little to no effect on tumor recurrence and intra-abdominal abscess.
  • Therapeutic IPC may increase overall survival and may delay tumor progression, but the evidence is of very low certainty.
  • Quality of life and adverse events data are limited, and further investigation is needed.
  • More high-quality, long-term RCTs are needed to determine the effectiveness and safety of IPC.
  • Additional studies are ongoing, and the results may change when the findings become available.

Statistics:

  • 829 participants were involved in the nine parallel randomized controlled trials studied.
  • The studies followed up participants for a median of 0.2 months to 83.5 months.
  • IPC may increase overall survival by 34% (HR 0.66, 95% CI 0.48 to 0.91; 6 studies, 522 participants; very low-certainty evidence).
  • IPC may have little to no effect on DFS (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.40 to 1.82; 1 study, 134 participants; very low-certainty evidence).
  • IPC may make little to no difference to anastomotic leakage (RR 1.68, 95% CI 0.43 to 6.58; 4 studies, 366 participants; very low-certainty evidence).

Sources:

  • Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2025;10. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD008157
  • doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD008157 Updated protocol (2023) available via doi
  • Wiley, 111 River St, Hoboken 07030-5774, NJ, USA (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews publisher)
  • Zhaolun Cai, Dept. of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China (contact for additional information)
  • Mingchun Mu, Yajun Hu, Xueting Liu, Bo Zhang, Zhixin Chen, Jiankun Hu, and Kun Yang (co-authors of the study)
  • NewsRx LLC (publisher of the news report)

Keywords: Chengdu, Surgery, Oncology, Hospitals, Suppuration, Chemotherapy, Gastric Cancer, Quality of Life, Gastroenterology, Abdominal Abscess, Clinical Research, Drugs and Therapies, Health and Medicine, Risk and Prevention, People's Republic of China, Clinical Trials and Studies, Bacterial Infections and Mycoses.

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