Development of a Computational, Thermodynamic Model of Intraabdominal Hyperthermia in Humans Undergoing HIPEC

Peritoneal surface malignancies are a group of cancers arising from rare primary or common secondary tumors. Regardless of the etiology, the prognosis is poor and only a few therapies have shown promising results. Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a well-established alternative for patients with these malignancies. Still, as many as 46% of patients recur early after treatment.

Although HIPEC has a predetermined protocol to manage body temperature, the resultant bladder and core-body temperatures are highly variable. Age, gender, body mass index, and type and duration of chemotherapy are key factors influencing the incidence and severity of bladder hyperthermia. While clinical and animal investigations have studied abdominal hyperthermia, a full human model incorporating patient variables, heat delivery, and the impact of the circulatory system and anesthesia in HIPEC has not been established.

To bridge this gap in knowledge, this project seeks to develop and validate a computational thermodynamic model using prospective real-world data from humans undergoing HIPEC surgery. It is hypothesized that by incorporating patient, anesthetic, and perfusion-related variables in a thermodynamic model, the temperatures inside and outside the abdomen during HIPEC can be predicted. By predicting temperature changes during HIPEC, clinicians can improve the safety and efficacy of therapeutic hyperthermia.

The hypothesis will be evaluated through two specific aims:

Specific aim 1: To develop a computational, thermodynamic model of intraabdominal hyperthermia for humans undergoing HIPEC. The rationale is that existing thermodynamic models are designed for non-anesthetized or hypothermic humans, implying the need of a new model with the conditions of a HIPEC treatment.