Staff Reports

Corona – Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among women in America today. It is estimated that over 22,000 women will be diagnosed with in 2018.

To combat this disease, new treatments are being developed every day and Dr. Mehdi Kebria of City of Hope’s Community Practice Sites in Corona and Rancho Cucamonga is helping to lead the way.

One of the promising new treatment options Dr. Kebria is helping to pioneer for ovarian cancer is a targeted form of chemotherapy known as Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC).

HIPEC is a highly concentrated, heated chemotherapy treatment that is administered during surgery. Unlike traditional chemotherapy, which circulates throughout the body, HIPEC delivers chemotherapy directly to cancer cells following the surgery.

Because the chemotherapy is concentrated to one area it does not have the side effects, such as hair loss, of regular chemotherapy. HIPEC has been shown to increase survival by up to five years and in some cases can lead to a complete recovery. Thanks to advances like these in treatment, the occurrence and mortality rates for ovarian cancer has been decreasing.

For more information on HIPEC and other cutting edge treatments including immunotherapy and minimally invasive robotic being developed by City of Hope, please visit cityofhope.org.