UMC, Texas Tech Health El Paso expand access to advanced cancer treatment
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Patients in El Paso with certain abdominal cancers now have access to a highly specialized treatment option closer to home through a partnership between University Medical Center of El Paso (UMC) and Texas Tech Health El Paso.
The institutions announced the expansion of Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC), a procedure designed for select patients whose cancers have spread to the abdomen. The treatment is used for cancers including ovarian, colorectal, appendix, stomach, and peritoneal mesothelioma.
According to a release to KTSM, around 3,300 new cancer cases are diagnosed annually in El Paso County. HIPEC combines extensive tumor-removal surgery with the circulation of heated chemotherapy directly within the abdominal cavity, a process intended to improve the treatment’s effectiveness while limiting exposure to the rest of the body.
Dr. Trevor Silva, an assistant professor of hepatopancreatobiliary and general surgery at Texas Tech Health El Paso, told KTSM the program fills a significant regional gap in care, noting there is currently no HIPEC center between Phoenix and Dallas. He said the procedure can offer longer survival for some patients who might otherwise receive only palliative chemotherapy.
Hospital officials said the treatment requires a multidisciplinary team and specialized operating room technology. UMC CEO Maria Zampini said the hospital’s surgical and operating room staff have undergone extensive training to safely perform the complex procedure.
The expansion comes as construction continues on the Texas Tech Health El Paso Fox Cancer Center, which is expected to increase access to advanced cancer services in the Borderplex region. Leaders from both organizations said the goal is to reduce the need for patients to travel outside El Paso for specialized oncology care and to strengthen the region’s long-term cancer treatment capabilities.
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