The Oncologist Journal Reports New Surgical Technique for Patients with Liver Cancers

MIAMISBURG, Ohio - Radiofrequency ablation (RFA)-a new technique utilizing localized heat from high frequency radio waves to destroy liver tumors-is featured in the recent issue of The Oncologist (Vol. 6, No. 1, 2001)-the bimonthly international peer-reviewed journal for physicians devoted to cancer patient care.

Primary liver cancer (e.g., hepatocellular carcinoma or HCC) is one of the most common cancers in the world, especially in Asia and Africa. The liver is also the second most common site of metastases from other solid tumors, most often from colorectal cancer.

In his opening commentary, "Emerging New Opportunities for Patients with Hepatic Metastases …," Professor H.M. Pinedo (with Dr. C.J. van Groeningen) of the Free University Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, explains that "diagnoses (of both primary and metastatic liver cancers) used to be considered a lethal verdict….It is only a few decades ago that, for both conditions, therapeutic nihilism was the rule."

Prof. Pinedo notes that chemotherapy has failed in treating HCC and has been of limited success in metastatic liver cancer. Although surgical removal remains the gold standard of liver cancer treatment, he adds that radiofrequency ablation "is a great asset to be added to a multidisciplinary approach …and this technique will definitely … offer the patient better prospects."

In two accompanying papers, Dr. Steven A. Curley, of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (Houston), and Dr. Anton J. Bilchik and colleagues from John Wayne Cancer Institute (Santa Monica) and Century City Hospital (Los Angeles), discuss their respective experiences with radiofrequency ablation (RFA).

In "Radiofrequency Ablation of Malignant Liver Tumors," Dr. Curley says, "In general, RFA is a safe, well-tolerated, effective treatment for unresectable hepatic malignancies less than 6.0 cm in diameter." He notes RFA "is unlikely to be curative for most patients; however a subset of patients treated with RFA may achieve long-term disease-free survival."

Dr. Bilchik and colleagues recommend RFA for liver tumors no larger than 5.0 cm in "Radiofrequency Ablation of Unresectable Hepatic Malignancies: Lessons Learned." They conclude that "severe complications and even death after RFA are rare but warrant careful selection of patients and RFA approaches."

Radiofrequency ablation adds another important surgical tool for the treatment of patients with liver cancers.

The Oncologist is a medical journal devoted to practitioners entrusted with cancer patient care. More than 21,000 physicians around the world read it. Its online edition (www.TheOncologist.com) is read by more than 50,000 each month.

Full-text of all articles published in The Oncologist are available online at www.TheOncologist.com