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NCT Number: NCT06839092

Prophylactic PIPAC in Patients With High-risk Colorectal Cancer

In a multicentric randomized controlled trial, we will compare standard surgery (consisting in removal of the primary cancer) followed by 6 months of adjuvant chemotherapy associated with 3 cycles of oxaliplatin-based PIPAC (4-6 weeks apart), to standard surgery followed by 6 months of adjuvant systemic chemotherapy (routine treatment), in patients with colorectal cancer at high risk for metachronous peritoneal carcinomatosis (pT4 pN0-2 cM0 pMMR colorectal cancer of the colon, colorectal junction or high rectum and/or with positive cytology) in terms of 1-year and 3-year peritoneal metastasis-free survival (as measured by imaging and/or surgical exploration), 1-year and 3-year disease-free survival, as well as 1-year and 3-year overall survival. In terms of outcomes measurement, patients in both groups will benefit from diagnostic laparoscopy at 6 months from the index surgery, and standard surveillance consisting in clinical examination, CEA determination and thoraco-abdominal CT at 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 months after index surgery.

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Key information

Conditions

Colorectal Cancer Control and Prevention Abdominal Neoplasms Colonic Diseases Colorectal Cancer Colorectal Cancer Stage II Colorectal Cancer Stage III Colorectal Neoplasms Digestive System Diseases Digestive System Neoplasms Gastrointestinal Diseases Gastrointestinal Neoplasms Intestinal Diseases Intestinal Neoplasms Neoplasms Neoplasms by Site Peritoneal Diseases Peritoneal Neoplasms Rectal Diseases

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 3

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Patients operated (in emergency or elective settings) for colorectal cancer (of the colon, colorectal junction or high rectum).
  • Definitive pathological stage pT4 pN0-2 cM0 pMMR and/or pT3-4 pN0-2 cM0 pMMR with positive cytology and/or pT3-4 pN0-2 M1c pMMR with limited peritoneal carcinomatosis which is limited to one abdominal quadrant and was resected during index surgery and no other distant lesion (small indeterminate pulmonary nodules to be followed are accepted)
  • Performance status 0-1.
  • Age > 18 years.
  • Written informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

  • Infraperitoneal rectal cancer (middle or low rectum).
  • Age <18 year old.
  • Age > 80 year old.
  • Hereditary colorectal cancer.
  • dMMR/MSI colorectal cancer.
  • Inflammatory bowel disease.
  • Distant metastasis (outside limited peritoneal carcinomatosis which is limited to one abdominal quadrant and was resected during index surgery and no other distant lesion; small indeterminate pulmonary nodules to be followed are accepted)
  • Neo-adjuvant treatment.
  • Pregnancy or lactation.
  • Immunosuppression.
  • Unable to provide informed consent.
  • Previous cytoreductive surgery (CRS) (outside limited resection of peritoneal carcinomatosis during index surgery).
  • Contraindication to laparoscopy (e.g. severe adhesions, peritonitis).
  • Contraindication to and/or no adjuvant chemotherapy.
  • History of allergic reaction to oxaliplatin or other platinum-containing compounds.
  • Renal impairment, defined as GFR < 50 ml/min, (Cockcroft-Gault equation).
  • Myocardial insufficiency, defined as NYHA class > 2.
  • Impaired liver function defined as bilirubin ≥ 1.5 x UNL (upper normal limit).
  • Inadequate hematological function defined as ANC ≤ 1.5 x 109/l and platelets ≤ 100 x 109/l.

Treatment and study plan

oxaliplatin-based PIPAC

Procedure

Patients operated for pT4 pN0-2 cM0 pMMR colorectal cancer (of the colon, colorectal junction or high rectum) or patients operated for pT3-4 pN0-2 cM0 pMMR colorectal cancer with positive cytology or in patients with pT3-4 pN0-2 M1c pMMR colorectal cancer with limited peritoneal carcinomatosis which is limited to one abdominal quadrant and was resected during index surgery and no other distant lesion, will undergo 6 months of adjuvant systemic chemotherapy associated with 3 cycles of oxaliplatin-based PIPAC (4-6 weeks apart).

Each PIPAC session will include exploration laparoscopy (with PCI score), peritoneal lavage for cytology and biopsies of healthy peritoneum of the four quadrants + Douglas + omentum), and oxaliplatin-based PIPAC.

Control (Standard treatment)

Procedure

Patients operated for pT4 pN0-2 cM0 pMMR colorectal cancer (of the colon, colorectal junction or high rectum) or patients operated for pT3-4 pN0-2 cM0 pMMR colorectal cancer with positive cytology or in patients with pT3-4 pN0-2 M1c pMMR colorectal cancer with limited peritoneal carcinomatosis which is limited to one abdominal quadrant and was resected during index surgery and no other distant lesion, will undergo 6 months of adjuvant systemic chemotherapy, followed by exploration laparoscopy (including 300ml peritoneal lavage for cytology and seven punch peritoneal biopsies in the four quadrants of the abdomen, Douglas and omentum, as well as peritonectomy of 1 cm2) at 6 months after index surgery before entering a standard surveillance program.

Primary outcomes

  1. 1-year peritoneal metastasis-free survival,

    Time frame: 1-year

    The primary endpoint will be the 1-year peritoneal metastasis-free survival, defined as the absence of peritoneal carcinomatosis at 1 year after index surgery, as determined during surveillance. Peritoneal carcinomatosis can diagnosed by any existing modality (as part of a pragmatic approach), including imaging (practiced during surveillance and/or in emergency for ex. for bowel occlusion), surgical exploration (practiced during PIPAC sessions in the intervention group, but also at 6 months after index surgery in the control group, which decrease the risk potential detection bias) and/or pathology. Positive cytology during exploration laparoscopy performed during PIPAC session and/or in the control group will be considered as peritoneal metastasis and therefore as a positive primary outcome.

Secondary outcomes

  1. 3-year peritoneal metastasis-free survival

    Time frame: 3-year

  2. Disease-free survival (DFS)

    Time frame: 1-year, 3-years

  3. Overall survival (OS)

    Time frame: 1-year, 3-year

  4. 30-day incidence of complications

    Time frame: 30-day

  5. EORTC QLQ-C30 score 29

    Time frame: 1 month, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 12 months, 24 months and 36 months

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Jeremy Meyer, MD, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

+41795533248

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Jeremy Meyer

Other

Collaborators

  • University Hospital, Geneva

Registry information

Official study title

Prophylactic PIPAC for Reducing the Risk of Peritoneal Carcinomatosis in Patients With Colorectal Cancer: the PROPAC Randomized Clinical Trial

Acronym: PROPAC

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2032
Study completion
2034
First posted
Feb 21, 2025
Registry last updated
Jul 30, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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