International Journal of Hyperthermia

Understanding and Modeling the Peritoneal Plasma Barrier for Intraperitoneal Drug Delivery With and Without Hyperthermia

In patients with peritoneal malignancies, hyperthermic/normothermic intraperitoneal (IP) drug delivery, either as a liquid instillation or as an aerosol, is an accepted method to intensify anticancer treatment. However, the drug transport mechanisms that govern efficacy and fate of intraperitoneally administered drugs remain poorly understood. A major area of interest is the peritoneal – plasma barrier, which results in pharmacokinetic advantages compared to systemic delivery. In contrast to application of peritoneal dialysis for renal replacement, little is known on the physiology and pharmacology of this virtual barrier in patients with peritoneal malignancies treated with IP compounds. Also, the mechanisms of drug transport into peritoneal tumor tissue, and how these are affected by physical and pharmacological variables, remain to be fully elucidated. This Article Collection targets original work and review papers addressing computational, in vitro, experimental, and clinical data that investigate the peritoneal plasma barrier during IP drug delivery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for cancer.

There is significant uncertainty about the basic mechanisms of IP drug delivery, including HIPEC. Improved insights into the physiology and pharmacology of the peritoneal – plasma barrier may allow to guide rational IP therapies and identify methods to enhance its efficacy by modifying physical parameters such as pressure or temperature, or use drug combinations, e.g. cytotoxic drugs with stromal targeting agents.

Possible topics include:

• Physiology and physics of the peritoneal plasma barrier: mass transport, CFD simulation, mathematical models
• In vitro models, including microfluidics approaches
• Animal models of intraperitoneal drug delivery
• Clinical and translational studies that focus on PK, PKPD, or physiology based PK analysis of IP drug delivery

Wim Ceelen is a full professor of Surgical Oncology at Ghent University, Belgium, where he leads the Experimental Surgery lab. He has an interest in the pathophysiology and treatment of peritoneal metastases, novel methods of intraperitoneal drug delivery, and tumor biophysics.

­­All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo a full peer-review; the Guest Advisor for this Collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member).

Please review the journal scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 31 August 2027.

Please contact Rebecca Turner at rebecca.turner@tandf.co.uk with any questions or requests for discount codes relating to this Article Collection.

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