Cryoablation combined with radiotherapy for hepatic malignancy: Five case reports

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Interventional Radiology
• Radiation Oncology

Background:

• Monotherapy for hepatic malignancies has suboptimal patient survival rates.
• Cryoablation combined with radiotherapy presents a less invasive treatment strategy.
• This combined approach may benefit patients with advanced liver cancer.

Observation:

• Five patients with advanced hepatic malignancies (3 hepatocellular carcinoma, 2 metastatic) were treated between 2017-2018.
• The treatment involved cryoablation of liver lesions followed by intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).
• Cryoablation included 2 freeze-thaw cycles with specific freezing and re-warming times.

Findings:

• No adverse events above grade II were reported in the 5 patients.
• Patients experienced significant improvements in quality of life.
• Four patients achieved disease progression-free status with local control, prolonging survival; three remain alive.

Implications:

• Cryoablation and IMRT can be safely implemented for hepatic malignancies.
• This combination therapy shows potential for managing advanced liver cancer.
• Larger prospective studies are needed to confirm definitive efficacy.