Liver Cancer & RFA

[Guest guest]

Hi Friends,

I haven't been on in awhile so I'm not aware of recent discussions. I just read an article on RFA (Radio Frequency Ablation) and it's application in Liver Cancer. I don't know if we have anyone in our group who is dealing with liver cancer as a side kick to their PSC but I know I have some fears about developing it at some point. His liver damage to date is all located in the tiny branch like bile ducts and would not be receptive to stents or surgery. I believe that because these ducts are already very small, that as the damage increases, so will the chances of liver cancer developing. I don't understand fully what part RFA can play for PSC patients but it appears to give some hope for those that might have to cope with cancer. For anyone interested, I've copied the article below. (Medscape requires membership to access the actual article online.) - Happy Holidays to all. I'll be trying to catch up on all my unread email but until I get that far, can anybody tell me how Biddy is doing? --

Radio-Frequency Ablation: A New Treatment For Liver CancerDecember 20, 1999MedscapeWire

Researchers at Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine are investigating a new treatment for liver cancer, called radio-frequency ablation (RFA), which uses a small, needle-sized probe to selectively destroy tumors. "RFA shows great promise for liver cancer, especially for patients with primary or secondary tumors which have spread from other sites in the body. Many of these patients cannot have surgery or are not responding to chemotherapy," said T.S. Ravikumar, MD, chairman of the Department of Surgery at Montefiore and principal investigator of the multi-institutional study. This study will treat 75 patients with colorectal cancer that has spread into the liver by using a combination of RFA with chemotherapy. Montefiore expects to enroll 30 patients. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 140,000 Americans are affected by colon and rectal cancer each year, and about 40% of these patients experience a recurrence of cancer, with the liver as one of the most common sites of recurrence. "In the vast majority of patients with liver cancer, surgical removal of the tumor is not feasible and chemotherapy has not been successful. There is a dire need for more effective treatments and RFA is being investigated as a prime alternative," said Dr. Ravikumar. "Our goal is to improve survival rates, tumor remission and the quality of life of patients diagnosed with tumors that have spread into the liver." Radio-frequency ablation works by applying electrical energy that generates frictional heat among tumor molecules. This causes cell death and tumor destruction. Since it is applied via small electrodes through image guidance, the procedure selectively destroys the tumor, causing minimal damage to the liver. Multiple tumors can be treated during a single procedure. Real time ultrasound is used to monitor the procedure. "We also are combining RFA with chemotherapy. The chemotherapy is delivered directly into the liver by a small pump or systemically by intravenous injection," said Dr. Ravikumar. "The results of combination therapy can be compared with the results of RFA or chemotherapy alone to determine which is most effective." Patients who have tumors that have spread only to the liver, and are interested in participating in the study, should call toll free +1 or and ask for Serrano, RN, patient coordinator at Montefiore Medical Center.