To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: Laser Ablation of Breast Cancer Metastases to Liver Appears to Extend Survival: Presented at RSNA URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/21866E.htm Doctor's Guide December 3, 2007
By Ed Susman CHICAGO, IL -- December 3, 2007 -- Laser ablation of breast cancer metastases to the liver could extend long-term survival -- as much as a median of more than 5 years for women with one or two lesions treated with curative intent. "Magnetic resonance-guided laser ablation improves the survival of patients with breast cancer liver metastases," said Martin Mack, MD, Associate Professor of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, J.W. Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany. Dr. Mack described outcomes achieved in 421 patients who received laser ablation to liver metastases from October 1993 to October 2007. A total of 965 metastases were ablated in these patients in 813 sessions. The doctors proceeded in curative intent in 309 of the patients and proceeded with palliative intent in 112 patients. The cut off for curative attempts were five or fewer lesions, less than 5 cm in diameter, and had no extrahepatic lesions. Patients treated with palliative intent had more than five lesions or lesions that were greater than 5 cm in diameter, or had metastases in the lungs, lymph nodes or bone. "Controlled bone metastases are not an absolute contraindication for the ablation treatment," Dr. Mack said in an oral presentation here on November 29 at the 93rd Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). "However, the value of magnetic resonance-guided ablation for the palliative patient group needs further evaluation." The key to successful treatment is to make sure that there are wide margins around the tumour, he said. He demonstrated that the coagulated tissue is almost double the volume of the tumour -- but after 12 months the necrotic tissue is gradually resorbed by the body, so that less than half of the killed tissue remains. Dr. Mack said that laser ablation of the breast cancer liver metastases compares well with chemotherapy regimens, which create severe morbidity for patients and offer overall survival rates that range from 11 months to 22 months. He said that in his entire cohort of 421 patients overall survival at 85% 1 year, 63% at 2 years; 45% at 3 years and 28% at 5 years. "These are really impressive results," Dr. Mack said. Mean overall survival for patients treated with curative intent was 5 years, Dr. Mack said, and 3.2 years for patients treated with palliative intent (P =.001). Mean overall survival for patients treated with curative intent who had one to two metastases was 5.2 years; 4.6 years for patients with 3 to 4 metastases, and 4.5 years for patients with five metastases. [Presentation title: Thirteen Year's Experience of MR-guided Laser Ablation (LITT) of Liver Metastases of Breast Cancer. Abstract SSQ06-04] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.