Preliminary results of ultrasound-guided laser ablation for unresectable metastases to retroperitoneal and hepatic portal lymph nodes

Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided Cryoablation of Prostate Cancer Lymph Node Metastasis

PURPOSE

To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging-guided cryoablation of prostate cancer metastatic lymph nodes (LNs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fifty-two patients with prostate cancer who underwent MR imaging-guided LN ablation from September 2013 to June 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Of these, 6 patients were excluded because adequate ablation margins (3-5 mm) could not be achieved secondary to adjacent structures. The remaining 46 patients (mean age, 70 years [SD ± 7]) underwent 55 MR imaging-guided cryoablation procedures of metastatic LNs (25 in the pelvic sidewall, 20 within the pelvic region, and 10 in the abdomen) with procedural intent of complete ablation. Locoregional tumor control (ie, technical success in the target LN) was evaluated on initial follow-up positron emission tomography (PET) scans at a mean of 4 months (SD ± 2). Preablation and postablation prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels were recorded. Imaging follow-up continued until a median of 27.5 months (range: 3-108 months).

RESULTS

Ninety-five percent (52/55) of treated LNs demonstrated no considerable activity on PET scans at initial follow-up at 4 months (SD ± 2). PSA decreased to an undetectable level of <0.1 ng/mL after cryoablation in 14 of 46 (30.4%) patients with corresponding lack of activity in 13 of 46 (28.2%) patients on continued PET imaging follow-up. Only 6 of 55 (10.9%) patients had transient adverse events, which all resolved with no long-term sequelae.

CONCLUSIONS

MR imaging-guided percutaneous cryoablation of metastatic LNs is a safe and technically effective technique for treating metastatic prostate cancer in LNs.

Endoscopic ultrasound guided interventions in the management of pancreatic cancer

There has been a growing interest in developing endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided interventions for pancreatic cancer, some of which have become standard of care. There are two main factors that drive these advancements to facilitate treatment of patients with pancreatic cancer, ranging from direct locoregional therapy to palliation of symptoms related to inoperable pancreatic cancer. Firstly, an upper EUS has the capability to access the entire pancreas-lesions in the pancreatic head and uncinate process can be accessed from the duodenum, and lesions in the pancreatic body and tail can be accessed from the stomach. Secondly, there has been a robust development of devices that allow through-the-needle interventions, such as placement of fiducial markers, brachytherapy, intratumoral injection, gastroenterostomy creation, and ablation. While these techniques are rapidly emerging, data from a multicenter randomized controlled trial for some procedures are awaited prior to their adoption in clinical settings.

Treatment strategies for hepatocellular carcinoma with extrahepatic metastasis

Extrahepatic metastasis (EHM) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has increasingly been seen due to improved survival with effective management of intrahepatic lesions. The presence of EHM indicates an advanced stage of HCC, for which systemic therapy serves as the standard treatment modality. Since the approval of Sorafenib as the first systemic agent in 2007, it took almost a decade to show its efficacy in both first and further lines of setting until the landscape of systemic drugs was finally expanded. Moreover, with inspiring results from immunotherapy trials in HCC, it appears that the introduction of immunotherapy may lead to an evolution in the portfolio of HCC treatment. Although the locoregional approach in the management of EHM is not recommended for advanced-stage HCC, efforts have been made to demonstrate its efficacy in symptom relief and potential benefit for overall survival. This review provides a summary of recent updates of the systemic agents in the treatment of advanced HCC, with an emphasis on aggressive locoregional management of EHM by various treatment modalities.

Effect of optical energy modulation on the thermal response of biological tissue: computational and experimental validations

This study develops an energy modulation technique to attain a constant interstitial tissue temperature and to induce the predetermined thermal coagulation without carbonization in tissue. An optical diffuser was employed to deliver 1064 nm light to the biological tissue. The combined mode maintained the interstitial temperature at 70 °C for longer durations compared to the continuous wave mode. Coagulation volumes increased linearly with the time and met the predetermined treatment volume range (0.32-0.52 cm³) after the combined treatment for 100 s. The combined modulation can be a feasible modality to induce the predetermined extent of thermal coagulation for treating papillary thyroid microcarcinoma.

Safety and Local Efficacy of Laser Ablation for the Extrahepatic Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: An Available Treatment Strategy

Thermal ablation plays an important role in the treatment of extrahepatic metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Yet laser ablation (LA), as a safe thermal ablative modality, is less investigated in this field. In this study, the safety and local effectiveness of LA in the treatment for the extrahepatic metastasis of HCC were evaluated. From May 2012 to May 2019, 17 patients (13 males and 4 females; mean age, 54.1 ± 14.6 years; age range, 34–80 years), who underwent LA for treatment of extrahepatic metastasis of HCC at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, were retrospectively enrolled in this study. Local effectiveness, complications, local tumor progression (LTP), and overall survival (OS) were evaluated. Finally, a total of 28 LA treated extrahepatic metastatic lesions of HCC were reviewed. Neither LA-related mortality nor major complication occurred. Complete ablation (CA) was achieved in 20 out of 28 lesions (71.4%). During the follow-up (mean, 19.5 ± 12.8 months; range, 5–42.7 months), LTP developed in 4 out of 20 lesions with CA (20%). Four patients died of tumor progression or multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. The accumulative one- and three-year OS rates were 79.0% and 65.8%, respectively. In conclusion, LA is a safe and effective therapeutic option in the treatment of extrahepatic metastasis of HCC. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the benefit of LA.

Percutaneous ultrasound-guided laser ablation for the treatment of cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis: a pilot study

OBJECTIVE

This study was performed to assess the feasibility, effectiveness, and safety of percutaneous ultrasound (US)-guided laser ablation (LA) for the treatment of cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis (CTBL).

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 11 patients with CTBL (mean age, 32.0 ± 8.6 years; range, 18-47 years) who underwent percutaneous US-guided LA from June 2014 to December 2016 with a subsequent 12-month follow-up. We assessed the mean volume reduction and contrast-enhanced US (CEUS) changes of the target lymph nodes as well as the tolerability and adverse effects of LA.

RESULTS

The mean ablation energy was 522 ± 312 J (range, 204-1317 J). All 17 enrolled target lymph nodes were completely non-enhanced after LA treatment as detected by CEUS, indicating complete ablation of all lymph nodes (100%). The target lymph nodes significantly decreased in volume by a mean of 74.0% ± 15.6% from baseline to 12 months after LA. The LA procedure was well tolerated, and none of the 11 patients developed severe complications during the 12-month follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Percutaneous US-guided LA for the treatment of CTBL exhibits good tolerability, minimal invasiveness, and few adverse effects. Further investigations with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are warranted to confirm these findings.

The efficacy and safety of microwave ablation in patients with retroperitoneal metastases

BACKGROUND

Retroperitoneal metastases are common, and most present with symptoms; however, treatments for this condition are limited. This retrospective study verified the efficacy and safety of microwave ablation (MWA) in retroperitoneal metastases patients.

METHODS

Patients with pathologically confirmed malignant carcinoma and imaging showing retroperitoneal metastases were enrolled and underwent MWA. The end-points included objective response rate, time to local progression (TTLP), overall survival, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, dose of morphine pre- and post-ablation and complications.

RESULTS

Twenty-three patients were enrolled. The mean tumour diameter was 3.6 cm. Altogether, 29 tumour sites in 23 patients were ablated during 23 procedures; technical success was achieved in all 23 patients. The objective response and disease control rates were 95.7% and 100.0%, respectively. The mean TTLP and median OS were 22.8 months (95% CI: 16.1-29.6 months) and 10.6 months (95% CI: 7.4-13.8 months), respectively. In 13 patients with symptoms, the VAS values before ablation and 48 h, 1 month, 2 months, 3 months and 6 months after ablation were 5.38, 2.77 (p = 0.015), 2.15 (p = 0.001), 2.17 (p = 0.001), 1.40 (p = 0.000) and 1.71 (p = 0.006), respectively. The corresponding morphine doses were 76.9 mg, 70.7 mg (p = 0.584), 50.7 mg (p = 0.031), 55.0 mg (p = 0.097), 46.0 mg (p = 0.057) and 40.0 mg (p = 0.363), respectively. No ablation-associated mortality was observed. Major complications, minor complications and adverse events were observed in eight (34.8%), five (21.7%) and four (17.4%) patients, respectively.

CONCLUSION

MWA for the treatment of retroperitoneal metastases was effective and the complications were common.