Background: The present study evaluated the safety of treatment of colorectal liver metastases with radio frequency ablation (RFA) in combination with high doses of the selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor celecoxib.
Materials and methods: The study was performed in the CC531 rat model for colorectal cancer. The rats were inoculated with CC531 tumor cells subcapsularly in the liver. They were then randomized for treatment with celecoxib, RFA, or their combination. Celecoxib treatment was started at tumor induction. Three weeks later the liver tumors were treated with RFA and the effects on the health of the rats were monitored.
Results: Treatment that included RFA resulted in significantly (p=0.003) more deaths than sham-operated rats. Including celecoxib in the treatment resulted in significantly increased cutaneous wound abscess formation after surgery (p<0.0001). In addition, the combination of celecoxib treatment with RFA resulted in intra-abdominal abscess formation (p<0.0001).
Conclusion: The results indicated that the combination of high-dose celecoxib and RFA for treating liver metastases should be used with caution when applied as an anticancer treatment modality since additional side-effects are induced.