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In the News

The Sugarbaker procedure

Paul Sugarbaker performs a type of cancer surgery named after him called the Sugarbaker procedure.The surgery will last 10 hours and involves cutting open the patient’s abdomen, removing her organs and hundreds of tumors, and then soaking her belly in chemotherapy drugs for 90 minutes.

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Paul Sugarbaker prepares to perform a type of cancer surgery named after him called the Sugarbaker procedure at MedStar Washington Hospital Center in the District in January. The patient is Laurie King, an emergency room physician in Roanoke who has been turned down for this surgery by Duke, Wake Forest and M.D. Anderson medical centers. Sugarbaker is taking her case.

Jahi Chikwendiu / The Washington Post

Michele King, left, gets a kiss from her mother, Laurie King, as Laurie's best friend, Susan Shandler, and Susan's husband, Ron, stand by before Laurie King goes into surgery. If everything works well, Paul Sugarbaker says, the patient has about a 33 percent chance of living another five years and a 25 percent chance of being cured. Without it, he says, 'her chances of survival are near zero.'

Michele King, left, gets a kiss from her mother, Laurie King, as Laurie's best friend, Susan Shandler, and Susan's husband, Ron, stand by before Laurie King goes into surgery. If everything works well, Paul Sugarbaker says, the patient has about a 33 percent chance of living another five years and a 25 percent chance of being cured. Without it, he says, "her chances of survival are near zero."

Jahi Chikwendiu / The Washington Post

Paul Sugarbaker, left, and Lana Bijelic, right, perform the surgery. Sugarbaker and Bijelic exchange few words — they have worked together so often that she knows what he is going to do before he does it. operation that is seen as the last hope for those suffering from advance stages of some cancers.The high-stakes surgery will last 10 hours and involve cutting open the patient’s abdomen, removing her organs and hundreds of tumors, and then soaking her belly in a toxic elixir of chemotherapy drugs for 90 minutes.

Paul Sugarbaker, left, and Lana Bijelic, right, perform the surgery. Sugarbaker and Bijelic exchange few words — they have worked together so often that she knows what he is going to do before he does it. operation that is seen as the last hope for those suffering from advance stages of some cancers.The high-stakes surgery will last 10 hours and involve cutting open the patient’s abdomen, removing her organs and hundreds of tumors, and then soaking her belly in a toxic elixir of chemotherapy drugs for 90 minutes.

Jahi Chikwendiu / The Washington Post

The Sugarbaker procedure is performed about 1,000 times a year at more than 100 medical centers across the country. The high-stakes surgery lasts 10 hours and involves cutting open the patient's abdomen, removing her organs and hundreds of tumors, and then soaking her belly in a toxic elixir of chemotherapy drugs for 90 minutes.

The Sugarbaker procedure is performed about 1,000 times a year at more than 100 medical centers across the country. The high-stakes surgery lasts 10 hours and involves cutting open the patient's abdomen, removing her organs and hundreds of tumors, and then soaking her belly in a toxic elixir of chemotherapy drugs for 90 minutes.

Jahi Chikwendiu / The Washington Post

Despite advances in radiology, cancer can still surprise a surgeon, and Paul Sugarbaker has stopped countless procedures if he decides it would be too difficult to remove enough cancer to make a difference in the patient's long-term survival.because it would be too difficult to remove enough cancer to make a difference in the patient’s long-term survival.

Despite advances in radiology, cancer can still surprise a surgeon, and Paul Sugarbaker has stopped countless procedures if he decides it would be too difficult to remove enough cancer to make a difference in the patient's long-term survival.because it would be too difficult to remove enough cancer to make a difference in the patient’s long-term survival.

Jahi Chikwendiu / The Washington Post

Paul Sugarbaker was at the National Institutes of Health when he learned about other doctors combining surgery and chemotherapy during an operation. The premise was that the surgeon would remove as much cancer as he or she could see and then fill the patient's abdomen with chemo drugs that would kill whatever remained. He and other doctors launched an intense effort to test and refine the procedure.

Paul Sugarbaker was at the National Institutes of Health when he learned about other doctors combining surgery and chemotherapy during an operation. The premise was that the surgeon would remove as much cancer as he or she could see and then fill the patient's abdomen with chemo drugs that would kill whatever remained. He and other doctors launched an intense effort to test and refine the procedure.

Jahi Chikwendiu / The Washington Post

Paul Sugarbaker, left, and his medical team operate on Laurie King. During part of the marathon operation, King began bleeding heavily and they had to cut the chemo time short.

Paul Sugarbaker, left, and his medical team operate on Laurie King. During part of the marathon operation, King began bleeding heavily and they had to cut the chemo time short.

Jahi Chikwendiu / The Washington Post

Paul Sugarbaker takes a break during the 10-hour surgery. The Sugarbaker Procedure, which has grown in popularity in recent years, has generated debates at medical conferences. Critics say that there are few, if any, studies that show the procedure actually works, especially in the case of colon cancer. Sugarbaker says the debate was settled long ago about his procedure's effectiveness in battling appendiceal cancer that has spread to the abdomen and peritoneal mesothelioma, a rare cancer linked to asbestos exposure. Survival rates for patients suffering from those cancers are 50 percent for at least five years if they undergo his procedure, Sugarbaker said. He said he would welcome a randomized study to prove it is effective in treating colon cancer but that is hard to set up.

Paul Sugarbaker takes a break during the 10-hour surgery. The Sugarbaker Procedure, which has grown in popularity in recent years, has generated debates at medical conferences. Critics say that there are few, if any, studies that show the procedure actually works, especially in the case of colon cancer. Sugarbaker says the debate was settled long ago about his procedure's effectiveness in battling appendiceal cancer that has spread to the abdomen and peritoneal mesothelioma, a rare cancer linked to asbestos exposure. Survival rates for patients suffering from those cancers are 50 percent for at least five years if they undergo his procedure, Sugarbaker said. He said he would welcome a randomized study to prove it is effective in treating colon cancer but that is hard to set up.

Jahi Chikwendiu / The Washington Post

The procedure includes a chemotherapy 'bath.' Lana Bijelic monitors the flow of chemotherapy solution to the body of patient Laurie King.

The procedure includes a chemotherapy "bath." Lana Bijelic monitors the flow of chemotherapy solution to the body of patient Laurie King.

Jahi Chikwendiu / The Washington Post

Paul Sugarbaker talks to Michele King, top right; Laurie King's best friend, Susan Shandler, left; and Susan's husband, Ron, about the outcome of the surgery in January. When Susan Shandler asks if he saved King's life, he says, 'Let's be conservative. Let's just say we got a good start on it, and we did what we set out to do.' By October, her cancer was in remission.

Paul Sugarbaker talks to Michele King, top right; Laurie King's best friend, Susan Shandler, left; and Susan's husband, Ron, about the outcome of the surgery in January. When Susan Shandler asks if he saved King's life, he says, "Let's be conservative. Let's just say we got a good start on it, and we did what we set out to do." By October, her cancer was in remission.

Jahi Chikwendiu / The Washington Post

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