ABSTRACT
In patients with carcinomatous peritonitis caused by the invasion and peritoneal dissemination of gastro-intestinal cancer, disease progression can trigger complications such as ileus, ascites, and hydronephrosis. Anorexia, impaired oral intake, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, abdominal bloating, anuria, and other symptoms can develop, negatively affecting patients' general condition and quality of life. The treatment of carcinomatous peritonitis is an important determinant of outcomes, but the guidelines for its diagnosis, the evaluation of its response to chemotherapy, and the question of which standard therapy to apply remain unestablished.In recent years, however, clinical trials have attempted to evaluate the benefits of systemic chemotherapy and the intraperitoneal administration of drugs such as cisplatin and paclitaxel in patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer who have peritoneal dissemination. In the field of palliative therapy, octreotide has been approved in Japan for the amelioration of symptoms associated with gastrointestinal obstruction. Such treatment is expected to contribute substantially to improving patients' quality of life.