Abdominal Cancers Alliance to provide education and resources to patients, families and physicians surrounding abdominal cancers and CRS/HIPEC procedure
Partners for Cancer Care and Prevention (PFCCAP), a 501(c)(3) public health nonprofit, today announced the launch of their newest program, the Abdominal Cancers Alliance. International in scope but led by renowned Baltimore-based surgical oncologist Dr. Armando Sardi, the Abdominal Cancers Alliance is a central education hub providing resources and accurate, updated information to patients and families about abdominal cancers and the Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) procedure, an aggressive treatment for a variety of intra-abdominal malignancies in advanced stages. The success of this approach is significant with data showing 10- and even 20-year survival. Even with these promising results and over 3,000 publications worldwide on CRS/HIPEC, most patients are still referred late.
“We give hope to those with late-stage abdominal cancers and provide options and resources for treatment,” said Armando Sardi, M.D., FACS, president & founder of Partners for Cancer Care and Prevention. “CRS/HIPEC is a treatment option for a variety of gynecological and gastrointestinal malignancies. Early referral to treatment is key to improving survival and a potential cure. After nearly 30 years of being in this space, we’ve understood the patient journey well and see that there is a series of needs from education on the front end to care on the back end of treatment, and that is why we are launching the Abdominal Cancers Alliance.”
The Abdominal Cancers Alliance, a patient-led organization, assists patients in getting the proper information regarding their cancer treatment in a timely manner and connects them with organizations, other patients, and the medical community, to provide lifesaving treatments.
As the central hub, the Abdominal Cancers Alliance will focus on these core initiatives:
- Establish a central information system of resources on abdominal cancers and treatment options such as CRS/HIPEC.
- Educate the public and medical community about the importance of early diagnosis and proper treatment of abdominal cancers.
- Advocate for patients and families, helping them navigate through a promising journey.
- Advance and promote the work of existing organizations already making an impact.
The CRS/HIPEC procedures involve the removal of visible tumors from the abdominal area combined with a heated chemotherapy solution added to the abdominal cavity to destroy non-visible tumor cells that may remain after surgery. CRS/HIPEC is a treatment option for cancers including appendix, colon and rectal, gastric and stomach, ovarian, fallopian tube, uterine, Peritoneal Mesothelioma, Primary Peritoneal Cancer, Pseudomyxoma Peritonei (PMP), and several others.
In addition to leading PFCCAP and the Abdominal Cancers Alliance, Dr. Sardi serves as the Director of The Institute for Cancer Care at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore’s Surgical Oncology Division. He is an internationally renowned surgeon and one of the foremost surgical oncologists in the United States using CRS/HIPEC. Dr. Sardi is a National Cancer Institute Clinical Investigator and is committed to conducting vital research.
As of early 2023, the medical team including Dr. Sardi and his medical partner Dr. Vadim Gushchin, have performed more than 1,000 successful CRS/HIPEC procedures. In addition to their work in Baltimore, the procedure is being done in various hospitals across the US and in several countries worldwide. It has been the subject of thousands of published journal articles with information detailing how successful this treatment can be for treating late-stage cancer. Despite the volume of data and over 35 years of successful use, CRS/HIPEC is still not a widely known and utilized treatment option by the medical community.
About Partners for Cancer Care and Prevention:
Established in 2011 by Dr. Armando Sardi, MD, FACS, Dr. Ruth Singer, MD, and Dr. John Singer, MD, Partners for Cancer Care and Prevention is bridging the gap in cancer care by assembling a network of people and organizations that make better treatment a reality, improving the outcomes for patients and families. Its mission is to advocate for cancer patients by making connections, providing education, and guiding patient navigation to improve the quality and length of their life, with a focus on breast, cervical, and abdominal cancers. Partners for Cancer Care and Prevention’s programs in North and South America continue to significantly increase patients’ chances of long-term survival, potential cure, and increased quality of life. For more information, please visit www.pfccap.org.
