Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology (Aug 2019)

Safety and effectiveness of multi-antenna microwave ablation-oriented combined therapy for large hepatocellular carcinoma

  • Tian-qi Zhang,
  • Zhi-mei Huang,
  • Jing-xian Shen,
  • Gui-qun Chen,
  • Lu-jun Shen,
  • Fei Ai,
  • Yang-kui Gu,
  • Wang Yao,
  • Yan-yang Zhang,
  • Rong-ping Guo,
  • Min-shan Chen,
  • Jin-hua Huang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/1756284819862966
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12

Abstract

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Background: In patients with a large, unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the primary recommendation is for transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) but used alone TACE is not typically curative. Combinations of TACE followed in a delayed fashion by single-applicator thermal ablation have also been suboptimal. As an alternative, we investigated the combination of TACE followed within 1–3 days by multi-antenna microwave ablation (MWA) in patients with a large HCC, to determine the feasibility, safety, local control, and short-term survival rates of this approach. Methods: We retrospectively studied 43 patients with a large HCC (mean diameter, 8.8 cm; SD, 2.8 cm) treated between July 2015 and July 2018, who underwent TACE followed within 3 days by multi-antenna simultaneous MWA. We measured the liver and renal function before and after treatment, recorded complications, used three-dimensional software and imaging to calculate tumor necrosis rates at 1 month after therapy, and calculated overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) using the Kaplan–Meier method. Results: Mean follow up was 12.2 (range, 3.5–35.6) months. All patients completed the treatment protocol. At 1 month after combined therapy, tumor necrosis was complete in 16 (37.2%), nearly complete in 19 (44.2%), and partial in 8 (18.6%) patients. The 1- and 2-year OS rates were 64.0% and 46.8%, respectively, with a median OS of 23.0 months; and the 1- and 2-year PFS rates were 19.9% and 4.4%, respectively, with a median PFS of 4.2 months. A transient change in liver function occurred 3 days after MWA but resolved within 1 month. Only two patients had major complications, which were treatable and resolved. Conclusion: Multi-antenna MWA-oriented combined therapy is feasible and well tolerated, and it results in satisfactory initial local control and short-term survival in some but not all patients with a large HCC.