Promising New Laser Treatment for Liver Mets

[Christine MH]

The new technique laser-induced interstitial thermotherapy may help BC patients who develop liver mets alone or with bone mets. Patients lived on average over four years after their first treatment.

[Toril]

Just found this thread. Its not new (from 2004), but I would be very interested if anyone has something to say about it?

Thanks.
Toril

[Christine MH-UK]

Hi Toril,

The reason why this story seems very short and incomplete was that it didn't survive the remodelling of the her2support board a while back.

The posting was a synopsis of an article entitled Breast Cancer Metastases in Liver, written by Martin G. Mack, Ralf Straub, Katrin Eichler, Oliver Söllner, Thomas Lehnert, Thomas J. Vogl of the Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, at the University Hospital Johann Wolfgang Goethe in Frankfurt am Main (unfortunately not Norway or Sweden, but not excessively far perhaps). It appeared in the journal Radiology in 2004 on Sep 30.

Here is the abstract of the article:
"PURPOSE: To evaluate the local tumor control rate and survival data for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging-guided laser ablation of breast cancer liver metastases by using laser-induced interstitial thermotherapy (LITT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR-guided LITT was performed in 232 female patients with 578 liver metastases from breast cancer. Survival rates were calculated with the Kaplan-Meier method. Indications for the procedure were defined for patients with no more than five metastases, none of which were larger than 5 cm in diameter, as follows: recurrent liver metastases after partial liver resection (8.2%), metastases in both liver lobes (45.2%), locally nonresectable tumors (19%), general contraindications for surgery (2.6%), or refusal to undergo surgical resection (25%). RESULTS: Local recurrence rate at 6-month follow-up after LITT was 2.3% (five of 213) for metastases up to 2 cm in diameter, 4.3% (seven of 162) for metastases 2-3 cm in diameter, 3.2% (two of 63) for metastases 3-4 cm in diameter, and 1.9% (one of 52) for metastases larger than 4 cm in diameter. No additional local tumor progression was observed beyond 6 months. The mean survival rate for all treated patients, with calculation started on the date of diagnosis of the metastases treated with LITT, was 4.9 years (95% confidence interval: 4.3, 5.4). The median survival was 4.3 years; 1-year survival, 96%; 2-year survival, 80%; 3-year survival, 63%; and 5-year survival, 41%. The mean survival after the first LITT treatment was 4.2 years (95% confidence interval: 3.6, 4.8). CONCLUSION: MR-guided LITT yields high local tumor control and survival rates in patients with liver metastases from breast cancer."

The full article in English is available from this URL:
www.klinik.uni-frankfurt.de/zrad/diagnostik/pub/mack_radiology_2004_233_400-409.pdf (http://www.klinik.uni-frankfurt.de/zrad/diagnostik/pub/mack_radiology_2004_233_400-409.pdf)

The article is also available in German, if anyone is interested:
http://www.klinik.uni-frankfurt.de/zrad/diagnostik/start.shtml

On the part of the website listing indications it states:

"LITT of liver tumours

Maximum number: 5 lesions

Maximum diameter: 50 mm
Residual metastases in patients who have already undergone liver resection.
Progress of metastases despite chemotherapy
Bilobar metastases (involvement of both lobes of liver)
Patients who are contraindicated for operation
Patients who are primarily inoperable can be brought to an operable situation with LITT (metastases in both liver lobes)
LITT as alternative therapy for patients who refuse surgical resection and systemic or local chemotherapy."
The contact number for the 'Interventions-Ambulanz' from the website seems to be the one to use (judging from the English and German pages) to contact these people.


Best of luck,

Christine