Surgeons at the Peritoneal Cancer Institute are advancing the fight against peritoneal carcinomatosis thanks to the formalization of a strategic collaboration between two institutions: Consorci Sanitari Integral (CSI) and Bellvitge University Hospital (HUB).
This alliance will enable the PCI team of experts to treat patients from a major region of Spain. The Territorial Unit for Peritoneal Oncological Surgery (UTCOP) was created with the ambition of expanding care capacity for an increasingly prevalent disease and positioning itself among the few global reference groups, both in terms of case volume and excellence in clinical care and scientific research.
A Unique and Cross-Cutting Unit
As emphasized by the Peritoneal Cancer Institute co-directors, Domenico Sabia and Lana Bijelic, the new UTCOP team will operate in an integrated manner between the Consorci Sanitari Integral and the Bellvitge University Hospital, under the coordination of the two surgeons.
The Unit’s functional plan is to carry out its activities at both centers, applying the same clinical criteria, protocols, and standards of therapeutic excellence.
This new model, promoted by the Oncology Master Plan of the Department of Health, represents an evolution of the original unit, UCOP (Peritoneal Oncologic Surgery Unit), which has been based at the CSI for the past 15 years and has led the treatment of peritoneal metastases in Catalunya, performing more than 2,000 CRS + HIPEC procedures.
The new UTCOP is committed to a full cross-institutional integration, bringing together the expertise of multidisciplinary teams and leveraging the resources and infrastructure of both centers.
Bellvitge University Hospital (HUB) is a nationally recognized center for high-complexity surgery, although it did not previously have a program specifically dedicated to peritoneal metastases. The institution’s extensive technological resources, both clinical and research-oriented, are key to enhancing the treatment of peritoneal metastases. The complementarity of CSI and HUB, including the institutional characteristics of HUB combined with the unique expertise of Dr. Lana Bijelic and Dr. Domenico Sabia, has been decisive in formalizing this collaboration.
Impact on Patients and Research
“The main objective of this initiative is to ensure that no patient with therapeutic potential is left without access to specialized treatment, whether due to a lack of diagnosis or proper referral to a reference team. The unit will ensure the capacity to manage a wide variety of cases including those of extreme technical complexity in an environment where multidisciplinary collaboration is seamless and efficient”, says Sabia.
Furthermore, the collaboration facilitates the definition and centralization of treatment for particularly rare disease subgroups, aiming to lead this approach nationally and internationally. This model not only improves clinical outcomes but also helps to generate new knowledge and high-value scientific evidence, Sabia concludes.
International Projection and The Future of the Unit
The collaboration between CSI and Bellvitge University Hospital opens the door to sustained growth in both clinical care and scientific research, nationally and internationally. “This strategic alliance will allow us to reinforce our position as an international reference and to progressively strengthen it further through research, innovation, and collaboration with other European centers and beyond”, emphasized Bijelic.
In the medium term, the unit aims to centralize the treatment of patients with rare and particularly complex conditions, subsequently consolidating itself as a leader in professional training and knowledge transfer. This approach reinforces a solid and lasting model for the management of peritoneal metastases.
Culture of Specialization and the Patient at the Center
Beyond surgical activity, the creation of the UTCOP will foster growth of specialized knowledge and a culture focused on the multidisciplinary management of peritoneal metastases. The interregional approach will raise awareness among more professionals and expand existing working groups that include oncologists, anesthesiologists, radiologists, pathologists, intensivists, nutritionists, nursing staff, and other specialists.
UTCOP aligns perfectly with the principles of the International Patient Manifesto on Peritoneal Malignancies, created through a collaboration between patient associations from five countries during the 2025 International Peritoneal Oncologic Surgery Congress (PSOGI) in Barcelona. The Manifesto emphasizes the importance of accessing reference centers that ensure timely comprehensive, multidisciplinary evaluations conducted by teams specifically dedicated to this pathology. Only under these conditions can therapeutic delays and inappropriate oncologic treatments which negatively impact patient survival and quality of life, be avoided.