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Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. No commercial re-use. See permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.
World J Gastroenterol. Aug 14, 2026; 32(30): 118763
Published online Aug 14, 2026. doi: 10.3748/wjg.118763
Prophylactic hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy for gastric cancer: Current evidence, persistent uncertainties, and future perspectives
Ze-Wei Cheng, Yi-Ze Liang, Meng Wei, Zhi-Bo Yan, Guo-Rui Sun, Xiao-Han Cui, Wen-Bin Yu
Ze-Wei Cheng, Yi-Ze Liang, Meng Wei, Zhi-Bo Yan, Guo-Rui Sun, Xiao-Han Cui, Wen-Bin Yu, Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan 250012, Shandong Province, China
Author contributions: Cheng ZW and Yu WB contributed to conceptualization; Cheng ZW, Yu WB, Liang YZ, Wei M, Yan ZB, Sun GR, and Cui XH were involved in writing, reviewing, and editing; and all authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.
AI contribution statement: The authors used the AI tool DeepSeek during manuscript revision and proofreading. No part of the main text was AI-generated. All content is original authors’ work. The AI tool was used only for language polishing and grammar checking. The AI tool did not participate in study design or result interpretation. No images in the manuscript were AI-generated.
Supported by Horizontal Project of Shandong University, No. 6010123193, No. 6010121066, and No. 6010125120.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Wen-Bin Yu, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, No. 107 Wenhuaxi Road, Jinan 250012, Shandong Province, China. wenbin_yu2003@163.com
Received: January 12, 2026
Revised: February 13, 2026
Accepted: April 22, 2026
Published online: August 14, 2026
Processing time: 193 Days and 23.9 Hours
Core Tip

Core Tip: Prophylactic hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy aims to eliminate occult free cancer cells following curative gastrectomy for locally advanced gastric cancer, thereby reducing peritoneal recurrence. While meta-analyses suggest potential improvements in survival and peritoneal control, conflicting trial results and persistent protocol heterogeneity preclude definitive recommendations. Although prophylactic hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy appears generally safe, it carries distinct risks that demand vigilant monitoring, including renal impairment, pulmonary dysfunction, and hematologic toxicity. Optimal patient selection, guided by serosal invasion, nodal burden, diffuse histology, and positive peritoneal cytology, remains paramount. Ongoing trials and novel combinatorial strategies may help clarify its therapeutic role.

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