Minimally Invasive Procedure Can Reduce, Eliminate Benign Liver Tumors

Main Category: Liver Disease / Hepatitis
Also Included In: Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 23 Aug 2006 - 0:00 PDT

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Following extensive patient studies that began in 1999, researchers at Tang Du Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University in Xian, China, have concluded that ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) can be an efficient and safe method for the treatment of hepatic primary cysts.

According to Dr. Du Xi-Lin, compared with other methods, ultrasound-guided RFA has many merits. "All procedures are under local anesthesia. A laparotomy is not needed so there is minimal injury and pain," he says, adding that in most patients, one year after the procedure there was no significant recurrence. "RFA gives doctors and patients a new choice to cure hepatic cysts. It is an outstanding therapy that induces localized coagulation of the tumor by creating resistive ionic heating through the electrode." Dr. Du notes that RFA is a relatively new procedure for treatment of hepatic tumors not amenable to removal.

THE STUDY

B-ultrasound-guided RFA [using RF-2000 System (Radio Therapeutic - USA) expandable by 10 hooks, 450 ultrasound scanning system (Hitachi - Japan)] was performed on 29 patients: 12 males, 17 females. The mean age was 47.2. Patients were diagnosed using computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Tumors were single or multiple: 8 patients had a single tumor, 21 had multiple tumors. Eleven were in the left lobe; 37 on the right lobe. The longest lesions ranged from 4 cm to 21 cm. The mean diameter was 9.3 cm. Eight patients had cysts over 10 cm in diameter. Twelve patients had renal cysts with no abnormal renal function.

PATIENT REACTION

During the RFA procedure, patients had no significant discomfort. For those with tumors larger than 10 cm or multiple tumors, there was some sweating, local distending and fever, but no significant changes of liver function. In 3 cases, serum bilirubin increase occurred but became normal after a week.

RESULT ASSESSMENT

For 34 cysts with <5 cm diameter, the tumors were ablated completely, with no recurrence after 3 months. For 21 cysts 5-10 cm, the decrease of tumor volume was >70% than the subsequent minification and fibering. For 8 cysts with >10 cm diameter, the decrease of tumor volume was >60%. Six cysts had minification to 80% and fibering. Two cysts had a smaller increase at one month after the RF. In subsequent checks 6 and 12 months after RFA, tumors less than 10 cm in diameter were fully ablated.

Tang Du Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University
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