Thermal ablation in the management of oligometastatic colorectal cancer

PURPOSE To review available evidence on thermal ablation of oligometastatic colorectal cancer. METHODS Technical and cancer specific considerations for percutaneous image-guided thermal ablation of oligometastatic colorectal metastases in the liver and lung were reviewed. Ablation outcomes are compared to surgical and radiation therapy literature. RESULTS The application of thermal ablation varies widely based on tumor burden, technical expertise, and local cancer triage algorithms. Ablation can be performed in combination or in lieu of other cancer treatments. For surgically non-resectable liver metastases, a randomized trial has demonstrated the superiority of thermal ablation combined with chemotherapy compared to systemic chemotherapy alone in term of progression-free survival and overall survival (OS), with 5-, and 8-year OS of 43.1% and 35.9% in the combined arm vs. 30.3% and 8.9% in the chemotherapy alone arm. As ablation techniques and technology improve, the role of percutaneous thermal ablation may expand even into surgically resectable disease. Many of the prognostic factors for better OS after local treatment of lung metastases are the same for surgery and thermal ablation, including size and number of metastases, disease-free interval, complete resection/ablation, negative carcinoembryonic antigen, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and controlled extra-pulmonary metastases. When matched for these factors, thermal ablation for lung and liver metastases appears to provide equivalent overall survival as surgery, in the range of 50% at 5 years. Thermal ablation has limitations that should be respected to optimize patient outcomes and minimize complications including targets that are well-visualized by image guidance, measure <3cm in diameter, and be located at least 3mm distance from prominent vasculature or major bronchi. CONCLUSIONS The routine incorporation of image-guided thermal ablation into the therapeutic armamentarium for the treatment of oligometastatic colorectal cancer can provide long survival and even cure

Thermal ablation of ultrasound and non-contrast computed tomography invisible primary and secondary liver tumors: targeting by selective intra-arterial lipiodol injection

PURPOSETo evaluate the technical feasibility and outcomes of thermal ablation following selective intra-arterial lipiodol injection (SIALI) for targeting primary and secondary liver tumors invisible on ultrasound (US) and non-contrast computed tomography (CT).METHODSThis retrospective study included 18 patients with 20 tumors (67% male, mean age 60.8 ± 12.1 years). The 20 tumors included 15 liver metastases and 5 hepatocellular carcinomas. All patients underwent single-session SIALI and subsequent CT-guided thermal ablation. The primary outcome was a technical success, defined as visualization of the tumor after SIALI and successful thermal ablation. Secondary outcomes were local recurrence rate and procedure-related complications.RESULTSThe median tumor size was 1.5 (1–2.5) cm. In addition, SIALI was performed with a median volume of 3 (1–10) mL of lipiodol resulting in intra-tumoral iodized oil accumulation in 19 tumors and negative imprint with iodized oil accumulation of the surrounding liver parenchyma in 1 tumor. The technical success rate was 100%. No local occurrence was observed at a mean follow-up time of 3 ± 2.5 years.CONCLUSIONSIALI to tag liver tumors not visible with US and non-contrast CT before percutaneous ablation is highly feasible and has a high success rate for the treatment of both primary and secondary liver tumors

Role of Thermal Ablation in Colorectal Cancer Lung Metastases

Background: Consensus guidelines of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) (2016) provided recommendations for the management of lung metastases. Thermal ablation appears as a tool in the management of these secondary pulmonary lesions, in the same manner as surgical resection or stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR). Methods: Indications, technical considerations, oncological outcomes such as survival (OS) or local control (LC), prognostic factors and complications of thermal ablation in colorectal cancer lung metastases were reviewed and put into perspective with results of surgery and SABR. Results: LC rates varied from 62 to 91%, with size of the metastasis (5 mm) as predictive factors of LC. Median OS varied between 33 and 68 months. Pulmonary free disease interval Conclusions: Thermal ablation of a selected subpopulation of patients with colorectal cancer lung metastases is safe and can provide excellent LC and delay systemic chemotherapy

Thermal ablation of the most challenging cases of liver metastases

Patient selection for image-guided thermal ablation of liver metastases has to be taken in a multidisciplinary tumor board given the extreme complexity of cancer metastatic disease, and the numerous treatment options offered to oligometastatic patient today.The role of image-guided thermal ablation increases over years in the treatment of liver metastases. In order to fulfill the expected outcomes which are to have a local control rate equivalent to surgery, interventional oncologist have to take every measure that will help when treating most challenging metastases including image guidance, anesthesia, respiration monitoring, ablation technique, confirmation software that can favor positive outcomes, and in some way to render challenging metastases easy to treat

Thermal Ablation Combined with Selective Transarterial Embolization of Centrally Located Renal Cell Carcinomas Measuring 3 cm or Larger

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcomes of patients with centrally located renal cell carcinomas (RCC) measuring 3 cm or larger, treated by a standardized transarterial embolization protocol associated with percutaneous ablation. MATERIALS AND METHODS This retrospective study included 11 patients (73% male, mean age 73.4 ± 6.5 years) with RCC and contraindications for surgery. All patients underwent a single session combining transarterial embolization with iodized oil and subsequent thermal percutaneous ablation. Primary and secondary local tumor control were analyzed, defined as absence of any contrast enhancing nodular lesion in the treated area after a single or percutaneous re-treatment session, respectively. RESULTS Mean tumor size was 3.5 ± 0.3 cm (range 3-4 cm) with a mean R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry score ((R)adius; (E)xophytic, endophytic properties; (N)earness to the collecting system; (A)nterior, posterior; (L)ocation relative to the polar line) of 8 ± 0.9 (range 7-9). Nearness to the collecting system was 4-7 mm in two patients (18%) and ≤ 4 mm in nine patients (82%). After a mean follow-up of 5.2 ± 2.5 years primary and secondary local tumor control rate were 82% and 100%, respectively. No change in serum creatinine levels and glomerular filtration rate was observed compared to pre-treatment values. CONCLUSION A combined treatment of selective transarterial embolization and percutaneous ablation of large centrally located RCC (> 3 cm) is safe, feasible and can achieve excellent oncological long-term results. Larger prospective studies are needed

Single-session transarterial chemoembolization combined with percutaneous thermal ablation in liver metastases 3 cm or larger

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with percutaneous thermal ablation in patients with liver metastases 3 cm in diameter or larger. MATERIALS AND METHODS This retrospective study included 39 patients with a total of 46 liver metastases treated. There were 14 men and 25 women, with a mean age of 55 ± 13.3 (SD) (age range: 28-77 years). All patients were treated with a combination of TACE and thermal ablation in a single session. Primary outcome was local tumor progression. Secondary outcomes were procedure related complications and systemic disease progression. RESULTS Mean tumor size was 3.6 ± 0.6 (SD) cm (range: 3-5 cm). Conventional TACE was performed in 32 liver metastases (32/46; 70%) and drug-eluting beads-TACE in 14 liver metastases (14/46; 30%) followed by radiofrequency ablation in 34 (34/46; 74%), microwave ablation in 11 (11/46; 24%) and cryoablation in one (1/46; 2%) metastasis. Four grade 2 (4/39; 10%) complications were observed. After a mean follow up of 31.9 ± 26.1 (SD) months (range: 2-113 months) overall local tumor progression rate was 15% (7/46). Local tumor progression rate at 12 months was 13% (6/46). Overall systemic disease progression was seen in 29 patients (29/39; 74%) with a systemic disease progression rate at 12 months of 59% (23/39). CONCLUSION Treatment of large liver metastases with TACE and thermal ablation in a single session is safe and achieves high local control rate

Percutaneous Fixation of Impending Fracture of the Hip

According to the literature, prophylactic consolidation of proximal femur lytic metastasis the is recommended when the Mirels' score is above 8. Osteoplasty (cementoplasty of proximal femur) alone provides inadequate consolidation. Various mini-invasive technics, augmented osteoplasties, have been proposed for better long-term consolidation. The aim of this review is to detail the augmented osteoplasty techniques described in the literature and to report their safeties and efficacies to prevent pathological fracture of the proximal femur. A PubMed research found 8 studies that evaluated augmented osteoplasty of the proximal femur in cancer patients. All devices demonstrate adequate safety and low rate of secondary pathological fractures

Coil Embolization of Variant Hepatic Arteries During Percutaneous Arterial Port Catheter Placement for Intraarterial Chemotherapy: Analysis of Intrahepatic Perfusion Redistribution and Treatment Efficacy

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to analyze the intrahepatic perfusion redistribution after embolization of hepatic arterial variants during percutaneous arterial port catheter placement as well as to investigate the treatment efficacy of intraarterial chemotherapy in perfusion redistribution-dependent compared to redistribution-independent liver areas. MATERIALS AND METHODS This retrospective study included 62 patients (67.7% males, mean age of 56 ± 12 years). A replaced left hepatic artery was encountered in 36/62 (58.1%), a replaced right hepatic artery in 19/62 (30.6%) and a replaced left and right hepatic artery in 7/62 of patients (11.3%), respectively. Subjective perfusion analysis was performed on digital subtracted angiography and computed tomography (CT)/cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images evaluating the visibility of the main, segmental and subsegmental branches of the embolized variant hepatic artery, re-perfused from intrahepatic arterial anastomoses. For objective perfusion analysis ROI measurements on CT/CBCT images were taken in the redistribution-dependent and redistribution-independent liver lobe. Response analysis according to RECIST 1.1 was separately calculated for the redistribution-dependent and redistribution-independent liver lobe. RESULTS Intrahepatic reperfusion of the embolized variant hepatic artery was observed immediately after embolization with visualization of the subsegmental branches in 95.2% of patients. ROI measurements on CT/CBCT images (right lobe mean 76 ± 30.2 HU, left lobe mean 74.4 ± 30.5, p-value 0.88) did not show any differences. Treatment response after intraarterial chemotherapy did not differ between the redistribution-dependent and redistribution-independent liver lobes. CONCLUSION Embolization of hepatic arterial variants during percutaneous arterial port catheter placement results in effective intrahepatic perfusion redistribution and does not compromise treatment efficacy of intraarterial chemotherapy in the redistribution-dependent liver lobe