Ludhiana, September 14, 2025(News Team): Fortis Ludhiana has successfully performed the city’s first Cytoreductive Surgery (CRS) combined with HIPEC (Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy) on a 70-year-old male diagnosed with a rare abdominal cancer. This surgery marks a significant milestone for cancer care in the region. Once considered untreatable, the ailment was managed with this advanced procedure, giving the patient a chance at long-term survival.
Mr. Sodhi Singh, the patient, had been struggling with severe abdominal pain when he was diagnosed with the condition. While conventional surgery and chemotherapy were advised elsewhere, these offered only limited benefit. The multidisciplinary team of doctors led by Dr Anish Bhatia (Department of Surgical Oncology) and Dr Davinder Paul (Department of Medical Oncology) at Fortis Hospital Ludhiana decided to perform the advanced CRS + HIPEC procedure, a two-step treatment where all visible cancer is surgically removed, followed by heated chemotherapy delivered directly into the abdominal cavity to target any remaining microscopic cancer cells. The complex surgery took almost seven hours and was performed using the latest HIPEC machine, available exclusively at Fortis Hospital Ludhiana. After the surgery, the patient recovered without any complications or challenges. Thereafter, the person was discharged from the hospital in just six days.
Elaborating on the breakthrough, Dr Anish Bhatia, Senior Consultant, Surgical Oncology, Fortis Hospital Ludhiana, said, “This is the first time in Ludhiana that the HIPEC procedure has been performed using advanced technology, representing a paradigm shift in how certain abdominal cancers are treated. By surgically removing the tumour and administering heated chemotherapy locally, we maximized drug absorption and minimized side effects, offering the patient a far better chance at long-term survival, besides recovery. Unlike traditional chemotherapy that circulates throughout the body, HIPEC delivers high doses of chemotherapy precisely where it is needed. The heat enhances drug effectiveness while sparing the rest of the body from toxicity. This allows us to administer stronger treatment safely and improve patient outcomes. For challenging cancers cases like this one of a rare abdominal cancer- pseudomyxoma peritonei, which was once considered incurable, CRS + HIPEC offers a genuine ray of hope. What makes this case remarkable is the patient’s recovery — six months later, Mr. Singh is disease-free on his latest scan, which would not have been possible with conventional treatment.”
Expressing gratitude, the patient Mr. Sodhi Singh, said “When I first learnt about my diagnosis, I was extremely worried as I conveyed by other hospitals that my condition is untreatable. However, when I came to Fortis Ludhiana, the doctors explained this new procedure with clarity and confidence. I underwent the surgery and recovered well, and today, six months later, I feel healthy and disease-free. I am grateful to the team for giving me a new chance at life.”
Fortis Ludhiana is currently the only hospital in the city equipped to perform this advanced procedure with cutting-edge HIPEC technology. Globally, CRS with HIPEC has shown promising results in improving survival for patients with abdominal cancers such as pseudomyxoma peritonei, ovarian, colorectal and gastric cancers.