Current treatment options for colon cancer peritoneal carcinomatosis

Figure 1 A multistep process is involved in establishment and progression of colon cancer peritoneal carcinomatosis. First, loose cancer cells are released from the primary tumor that has penetrated the colon wall. The free floating cancer cells enter the peritoneal cavity and are transported to the peritoneal surface, where with inflammation playing a major role, the cells become adhesed to the peritoneum. The cancer cells then invade into the submesothelial layers and ultimately are able to access to the systemic circulation. Note that the progression of peritoneal carcinomatosis is not only at the single adhesion site, but its spill over to the neighboring peritoneum.