Huang A, McCall JM, Weston MD, Mathur P, Quinn H, Henderson DC, Allen-Mersh TG.

Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, Chelsea, UK. t.allenmarsh@ic.ac.uk

BACKGROUND: The aim was to determine the safety and feasibility of percutaneous cryotherapy for treating irresectable colorectal liver metastases. METHODS: Liquid nitrogen cryoprobes were inserted percutaneously into metastases using the Seldinger technique under computed tomographic guidance. Single-probe treatments were performed with either 3.6- or 6.3-mm cryoprobes (ice-ball volumes 18 and 59 cm3 respectively), or dual-probe treatments with two adjacent 6.3-mm probes (ice-ball volume 205 cm3). Treatment involved a single freeze--thaw cycle. RESULTS: Fifteen patients received 25 single-probe treatments and seven patients received 14 dual-probe treatments. The treatment-related mortality rate was zero and complications occurred after six of 39 treatments. Liver metastasis growth was significantly delayed for 2 months after dual-probe but not single-probe treatment. Metastasis cryotherapy stimulated an immediate rise, followed by a fall, in serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level, associated with immune upregulation that was significantly greater after dual-probe treatments. CONCLUSION: Ablation zones that were approximately four times larger than those produced by previously described percutaneous techniques delayed the growth of metastases, reduced serum CEA concentration, and induced detectable inflammatory and T-lymphocyte responses. Percutaneous cryotherapy for treatment of colorectal liver metastases is feasible and may have a place in conjunction with chemotherapy.

Publication Types:
· Clinical Trial
· Clinical Trial, Phase I

PMID: 11872054 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]