Harrisburg,
Pa. (February 22, 2024) — The team at UPMC Central PA Surgical Oncology has performed one of the most innovative procedures for advanced, metastatic cancer of the abdomen. Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion or HIPEC is a type of advanced cancer therapy that requires skilled surgical oncologists and is only performed at leading cancer centers.“We’re very excited to expand our surgical oncology services and bring this advanced level of cancer care to this region and our patients,” Kyo Chu, M.D., director of Surgical Oncology for UPMC in Central Pa., said. “This is another example of how we can offer our patients advanced cancer care close to home.”
The HIPEC
surgery is an advanced two-step procedure that surgically removes cancerous
tumors and then applies heated chemotherapy drugs directly inside the abdomen
to eliminate remaining cancer cells. This procedure can improve long-term
outcomes for patients, has greater effectiveness at killing cancer cells in the
abdomen, and provides fewer side-effects compared to traditional chemotherapy
due to the targeted treatment.
UPMC Central PA Surgical Oncology’s first HIPEC procedure was performed at UPMC West Shore by Samer AlMasri, M.D., assisted by his
partner, Chu, as well as Mohammad Haroon Asif Choudry, M.D., a surgical
oncologist at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Pittsburgh. The patient, a 72-year-old man, is
recovering well at home.
AlMasri
earned his medical degree from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon. He
completed his fellowship in complex surgical oncology at UPMC in Pittsburgh,
working with Choudry. Choudry
is a leader in innovative surgical care at UPMC, one of few institutions,
nationally and internationally, that conduct high volume HIPEC procedures. Chu
earned his medical degree and completed his residency in general surgery from
the University of Texas Medical Branch, Texas. His fellowship in surgical
oncology was completed at the John Wayne Cancer Institute, Calif., where he
brings over 20 years of experience to the department.
Chu and AlMasri
are continuing to bring advanced surgical cancer care to residents through the
new UPMC Central PA Surgical Oncology in Mechanicsburg. In November, they,
along with Amer Zuriekat, M.D., were the first surgeons to perform the robotic
Whipple procedure for advanced pancreatic cancer in central Pennsylvania,
further expanding innovative surgical oncology options to patients in this
region. The expertise that these surgeons provide will broaden surgical
oncology care for central Pennsylvanians.
To
schedule an appointment with Dr. Chu or Dr. AlMasri, call 717-988-8451.
To
learn more about surgery and cancer care in central Pennsylvania, visit UPMCHillman.com/CentralPA.
Dr. Samer AlMasri completed his fellowship in complex surgical oncology at UPMC in Pittsburgh, one of the leading institutions for surgical oncology care.
Dr. Kyo Chu, director of Surgical Oncology for UPMC in
Central Pa., brings over 20 years of surgical oncology experience to UPMC.
