Radiofrequency ablation of hepatic tumors: increased tumor destruction with adjuvant liposomal doxorubicin therapy.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the administration of liposomal doxorubicin before radiofrequency ablation increases coagulation more than radiofrequency alone in focal hepatic tumors.

Subjects And Methods: Fourteen focal hepatic tumors (diameter: mean +/- SD, 4.0+/-1.8 cm) in 10 patients (colorectal cancer, n = 3 patients; hepatocellular carcinoma, n = 4; neuroendocrine tumor, n = 2; breast cancer, n = 1) were treated with internally cooled radiofrequency ablation. In addition to undergoing radiofrequency, five patients (n = 7 lesions) were randomly assigned to receive 20 mg of IV doxorubicin in a long-circulating stealth liposome carrier (Doxil) 24 hr before ablation. Contrast-enhanced helical CT was performed immediately (within 30 min) after radiofrequency ablation (baseline) and 2-4 weeks after ablation. The volume of induced coagulation was measured by three-dimensional reconstruction techniques, and the measurements were compared.

Results: For tumors treated with radiofrequency alone, the volume of the thermal lesion had decreased 12-24% (mean +/- SD, 82.5% +/- 4.4% of initial volume) at 2-4 weeks after ablation. By comparison, increased tumor destruction at 2-4 weeks after ablation was observed for all lesions treated with combined Doxil and radiofrequency (p<0.001). Six lesions increased 24-36% in volume, and coagulation surrounding a small colorectal metastasis increased 342%. No coagulation was identified in four unablated control lesions in the two patients receiving Doxil alone.

Conclusion: Our pilot clinical study suggests that adjuvant Doxil chemotherapy increases tumor destruction compared with radiofrequency ablation therapy alone in a variety of focal hepatic tumors. Optimization of this synergistic strategy may ultimately allow improved clinical efficacy and outcome.