Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Radiofrequency ablation or percutaneous ethanol injection for the treatment of liver tumors.

Ansari, Daniel LU and Andersson, Roland LU (2012) In World Journal of Gastroenterology 18(10). p.1003-1008
Abstract
The liver is a common location of both primary and secondary malignancies. For unresectable liver cancer, many local ablative therapies have been developed. These include e.g., percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI), percutaneous acetic acid injection, radiofrequency ablation (RFA), cryoablation, microwave ablation, laser-induced thermotherapy, and high-intensity focused ultrasound. RFA has recently gained interest and is the most widely applied thermoablative technique. RFA allows more effective tumor control in fewer treatment sessions compared with PEI, but with a higher rate of complications. However, there are certain circumstances where PEI therapy represents a better strategy to control liver tumors than RFA, especially in situations... (More)
The liver is a common location of both primary and secondary malignancies. For unresectable liver cancer, many local ablative therapies have been developed. These include e.g., percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI), percutaneous acetic acid injection, radiofrequency ablation (RFA), cryoablation, microwave ablation, laser-induced thermotherapy, and high-intensity focused ultrasound. RFA has recently gained interest and is the most widely applied thermoablative technique. RFA allows more effective tumor control in fewer treatment sessions compared with PEI, but with a higher rate of complications. However, there are certain circumstances where PEI therapy represents a better strategy to control liver tumors than RFA, especially in situations where RFA is difficult, for example when large vessels surround the tumor. In the context of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), both RFA and PEI are feasible and of benefit in non-operable patients. RFA seems superior to PEI in HCC > 2 cm, and the combination of interventions may be of benefit in selected patients. Liver resection is superior to RFA for patients with HCC meeting the Milan criteria, but RFA can be employed in tumors ≤ 3 cm and where there is an increased expected operative mortality. In addition, some lines of evidence indicate that RFA and PEI can be employed as a bridge to liver transplantation. The use of RFA in colorectal liver metastases is currently limited to unresectable disease and for patients unfit for surgery. The aim of this article is to summarize the current status of RFA in the management of liver tumors and compare it to the cheap and readily available technique of PEI. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
World Journal of Gastroenterology
volume
18
issue
10
pages
1003 - 1008
publisher
WJG Press
external identifiers
  • wos:000301627900001
  • pmid:22416173
  • scopus:84858597311
ISSN
1007-9327
DOI
10.3748/wjg.v18.i10.1003
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f46ddda7-348a-4aea-a2be-6efd96ed5629 (old id 2431867)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22416173?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 08:04:43
date last changed
2022-03-15 07:46:44
@article{f46ddda7-348a-4aea-a2be-6efd96ed5629,
  abstract     = {{The liver is a common location of both primary and secondary malignancies. For unresectable liver cancer, many local ablative therapies have been developed. These include e.g., percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI), percutaneous acetic acid injection, radiofrequency ablation (RFA), cryoablation, microwave ablation, laser-induced thermotherapy, and high-intensity focused ultrasound. RFA has recently gained interest and is the most widely applied thermoablative technique. RFA allows more effective tumor control in fewer treatment sessions compared with PEI, but with a higher rate of complications. However, there are certain circumstances where PEI therapy represents a better strategy to control liver tumors than RFA, especially in situations where RFA is difficult, for example when large vessels surround the tumor. In the context of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), both RFA and PEI are feasible and of benefit in non-operable patients. RFA seems superior to PEI in HCC > 2 cm, and the combination of interventions may be of benefit in selected patients. Liver resection is superior to RFA for patients with HCC meeting the Milan criteria, but RFA can be employed in tumors ≤ 3 cm and where there is an increased expected operative mortality. In addition, some lines of evidence indicate that RFA and PEI can be employed as a bridge to liver transplantation. The use of RFA in colorectal liver metastases is currently limited to unresectable disease and for patients unfit for surgery. The aim of this article is to summarize the current status of RFA in the management of liver tumors and compare it to the cheap and readily available technique of PEI.}},
  author       = {{Ansari, Daniel and Andersson, Roland}},
  issn         = {{1007-9327}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{10}},
  pages        = {{1003--1008}},
  publisher    = {{WJG Press}},
  series       = {{World Journal of Gastroenterology}},
  title        = {{Radiofrequency ablation or percutaneous ethanol injection for the treatment of liver tumors.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v18.i10.1003}},
  doi          = {{10.3748/wjg.v18.i10.1003}},
  volume       = {{18}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}