Progress in Biological Research and Treatment of Pseudomyxoma Peritonei

Simple Summary Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a rare disease and has, thus, been the focus of relatively few studies in the field of digestive system research. Even experts and scholars in this field have certain deficiencies in their understanding of the disease. Although the standard treatment of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has improved patient prognosis, problems such as the difficulty of operation, tumor recurrence, single treatment method, and poor quality of life cannot be properly solved. This review mainly examines the progress of biological research and the existing or potential treatment strategies in relation to pseudomyxoma peritonei. It is expected to help scholars in related fields to understand the disease and provide potential directions for research into more effective and personalized treatment strategies.Abstract Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a rare disease characterized by extensive peritoneal implantation and mass secretion of mucus after primary mucinous tumors of the appendix or other organ ruptures. Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is currently the preferred treatment, with excellent efficacy and safety, and is associated with breakthrough progress in long-term disease control and prolonged survival. However, the high recurrence rate of PMP is the key challenge in its treatment, which limits the clinical application of multiple rounds of CRS-HIPEC and does not benefit from conventional systemic chemotherapy. Therefore, the development of alternative therapies for patients with refractory or relapsing PMP is critical. The literature related to PMP research progress and treatment was searched in the Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases, and a literature review was conducted. The overview of the biological research, treatment status, potential therapeutic strategies, current research limitations, and future directions associated with PMP are presented, focuses on CRS-HIPEC therapy and alternative or combination therapy strategies, and emphasizes the clinical transformation prospects of potential therapeutic strategies such as mucolytic agents and targeted therapy. It provides a theoretical reference for the treatment of PMP and the main directions for future research.