Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility, safety, and clinical outcomes of radiofrequency (RF) ablation for the treatment of liver metastases from gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST).
Materials and methods: Seven consecutive patients with 21 GIST liver metastases received RF ablation under computed tomographic (CT) fluoroscopic guidance. Liver metastases were solitary in two patients and multiple in five patients, with a mean maximum tumor diameter of 2.2 cm±1.1 (range, 1.2-4.2 cm). In addition to feasibility and safety, local tumor progression and overall and GIST-related survival associated with RF ablation were assessed.
Results: All liver metastases were treated in 12 RF sessions, after which contrast-enhanced CT showed disappearance of tumor enhancement. No RF procedure-related complications occurred. Local tumor progression developed in one tumor (4.8%) during the mean follow-up period of 30.6 months±27.5 (range, 5.9-76.4 mo). New liver metastasis in untreated liver and lung metastasis developed in one patient each. One patient died of subarachnoid hemorrhage 5.9 months after RF ablation, but no GIST-related deaths occurred. The respective overall and GIST-related survival rates were 85.7% (95% confidence interval, 33.6%-97.8%) and 100% at 1, 3, and 5 years.
Conclusions: RF ablation is a feasible, safe, and useful therapeutic option for the treatment for GIST liver metastases.
Copyright © 2013 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.