Surgical responsibilities in the management of peritoneal carcinomatosis.

In the past, cancer surgery for gastrointestinal malignancy focused on clearance (an R-0 resection) and containment (no surgically induced spillage of cancer cells). A new responsibility that cancer surgeons must accept is the knowledgeable prevention or treatment of cancer that disseminates to peritoneal surfaces. Carcinomatosis can be prevented and can be successfully treated using cytoreductive surgery and perioperative chemotherapy.