Theperitonealstromaltissuewhichprovidesarichsourceofgrowthfactorsandchemokinesisafavorableenvironmentfortumorproliferation.Thepathophysiologicalmechanismofperitonealcarcinomatosisisaninpidualsequenceconsistingofgeneticandenvironmentalfactorsandremainscontroversial.Thenaturalhistoryofthediseaserevealsapoormedianprognosisofapproximately6mo;howeveraggressivesurgeryandmultimodaltreatmentoptionscanimproveoncologicoutcomes.Consideringperitonealcarcinomatosisasthoughitisalocoregionaldiseasebutnotametastaticprocess,cytoreductivesurgeryandandintraperitonealchemotherapyhasbeenacurativeoptionduringrecentyears.Cytoreductivesurgeryimpliesaseriesofvisceralresectionsandperitonectomyprocedures.Althoughtheaimofcytoreductivesurgeryistoeliminateallmacroscopicdisease,viabletumorcellsmayremainintheperitonealcavity.Atthatpoint,intraperitonealchemotherapycanextendthemacroscopicdiseaseeliminationtomicroscopicdiseaseelimination.Thesuccessfultreatmentofperitonealcarcinomatosisrequiresacomprehensivemanagementplanincludingproperpatientselection,completeresectionofallvisibledisease,perioperativeintraperitonealchemotherapyandpostoperativesystemicchemotherapy.Surgicalandoncologicoutcomesarestrictlyassociatedwithextentofthetumor,completenessofcytoreductionandpatientrelatedfactorsaswellasmultidisciplinarymanagementandexperienceofthesurgicalteam.Inthisreview,pathophysiologyandcurrentmanagementofperitonealcarcinomatosisoriginatingfromgastrointestinaltumorsarediscussedaccordingtothelatestliterature.
