COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) is set to introduce a new medical procedure, Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC), for the first time in state government hospitals. This treatment, designed for patients afflicted with ovarian cancer, involves the direct application of heated chemotherapy drugs into the abdominal cavity.
The decision to implement HIPEC at CMCH was made due to a high volume of patients seeking advanced cancer treatment in Coimbatore. HIPEC is a procedure that combines surgery with heated chemotherapy, which is delivered directly into the abdominal cavity.
The chemotherapy drugs are heated to temperatures between 41 and 42°C and circulated in the cavity after tumour removal to enhance the effectiveness of cancer cell destruction. HIPEC is particularly beneficial for advanced abdominal cancers, including for patients in stages three and four of ovarian cancer, and is currently available only in a limited number of private hospitals.
Doctors report that at least 10 women with ovarian cancer visit the hospital each month, with most cases in advanced stages (three and four) of the cancer. In response to the rising incidence of cancer cases, the state government has allocated Rs 110.96 crore to enhance cancer diagnosis and treatment services over the next three years at 17 government institutions, including five regional cancer hospitals and research centres, as well as 12 tertiary care cancer centres. The funding breaks down as follows: Rs 73.96 crore for 2025-26, Rs 19.6 crore for 2026-27, and Rs 17.4 crore for 2027-28.
As part of this initiative, the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation will procure necessary medical equipment. The HIPEC machine costs around Rs 1 crore, while patients typically pay over Rs 1 lakh for this treatment at private facilities. Recognising the necessity of this treatment for women, CMCH will offer it free of charge under the Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS). The service is expected to launch once the necessary machinery has been purchased.
Dr N Selvaraj, an associate professor in the surgical oncology department at CMCH, explained that HIPEC is generally recommended for patients requiring extensive treatment for advanced ovarian cancer. "For those in stages one and two, we usually perform standard surgery following an ultrasound scan, blood tests, and CT scans," he said. "While ovarian cancer can affect individuals at any age, stages three and four are more commonly observed in older women, particularly those over 50. Common symptoms include increased abdominal pain and discomfort."