Radiofrequency ablation as a treatment for hilar cholangiocarcinoma

• Published in: World journal of gastroenterology : WJG Vol. 14; no. 28; pp. 4540 - 4545
• Main Authors: Fan, Wei-Jun, Wu, Pei-Hong, Zhang, Liang, Huang, Jin-Hua, Zhang, Fu-Jun, Gu, Yang-Kui, Zhao, Ming, Huang, Xiang-Long, Guo, Chang-Yu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Cancer Center of Sun Yat-Sen University, 651# Dong Feng Dong Road, Guangzhou 510060, Guangdong Province, China%Radiology Department, Centro Hospitalar Conde de Sao Januario (CHCSJ), Macau SAR CP3002, China 28.07.2008; The WJG Press and Baishideng
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Bile Duct Neoplasms - classification; Bile Duct Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Bile Duct Neoplasms - surgery; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic - surgery; Bilirubin - blood; Catheter Ablation - adverse effects; Catheter Ablation - methods; Cholangiocarcinoma - classification; Cholangiocarcinoma - diagnostic imaging; Cholangiocarcinoma - surgery; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Liver - diagnostic imaging; Liver - metabolism; Liver - pathology; Male; Middle Aged; Rapid Communication; Retrospective Studies; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Treatment Outcome; X线技术; 无线电频率; 烧灼技术; 胆管癌; Computed tomography; Cholangio- carcinoma; Radio-frequency ablation
• ISSN: 1007-9327; 2219-2840
• DOI: 10.3748/wjg.14.4540

AIM： To explore the role of radio-frequency ablation （RFA） as a treatment for hilar cholangiocarcinoma. METHODS： Eleven patients with obstructive cholestasis underwent Computed Tomography （CT） examination, occupying lesions were observed in the hepatic hilar region in each patient. All lesions were confirmed as cholangioadenocarcinoma by biopsy and were classified as type Ⅲ or Ⅳ by percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography. Patients were treated with multiple electrodes RFA combined with other adjuvant therapy. The survival rate, change of CT attenuation coefficient of the tumor and tumor size were studied in these patients after RFA. RESULTS： In a follow-up CT scan one month after RFA, a size reduction of about 30% was observed in six masses, and two masses were reduced by about 20% in size, three of the eleven masses remained unchanged. In a follow-up CT scan 6 mo after RFA, all the masses were reduced in size （overall 35%）, in which the most significant size reduction was 60%. The survival follow-up among these eleven cases was 18 mo in average. Ongoing follow-up showed that the longest survival case was 30 mo and the shortest case was 10 mo. CONCLUSION： RFA is a microinvasive and effective treatment for hilar cholangiocarcinoma.