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Heat Therapy in Treating Patients With Unresectable Primary or Metastatic Liver Cancer

A Phase II Study of Radiofrequency Ablation of Unresectable Liver Tumors

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT00004136
Enrollment
59
Registered
2004-08-20
Start date
1998-03-09
Completion date
2006-01-25
Last updated
2018-11-06

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Liver Cancer, Metastatic Cancer

Keywords

stage III childhood liver cancer, stage IV childhood liver cancer, recurrent childhood liver cancer, localized unresectable adult primary liver cancer, advanced adult primary liver cancer, recurrent adult primary liver cancer, liver metastases

Brief summary

RATIONALE: Heating tumors to several degrees above body temperature may kill tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of heat therapy in treating patients who have unresectable primary or metastatic liver cancer.

Detailed description

OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the efficacy of radiofrequency ablation in patients with primary or metastatic liver cancer. II. Determine disease free survival, local recurrence rate in treated lesions as compared to known recurrence rates after hepatic cryoablation, and overall survival in this patient population receiving this regimen. OUTLINE: Patients undergo laparoscopic or open laparotomy surgical procedure to identify unresectable tumors by ultrasound. Tumors are heated to a target temperature by electrodes for a maximum of 20 minutes. To achieve a 1 cm margin of ablated tissue around each lesion, multiple ablation courses may be performed, depending on the size of the lesions and the time required to complete the treatment. Patients may be retreated if tumor recurs or new disease appears. Patients are followed at 1 month, every 3 months for the first 2 years, every 6 months for next 3 years, and then annually thereafter. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A maximum of 59 patients will be accrued for this study.

Interventions

PROCEDURERadiofrequency Ablation

Tumors heated to target temperature by electrodes for maximum of 20 minutes

Sponsors

National Cancer Institute (NCI)
CollaboratorNIH
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Diagnosis of unresectable malignant primary or metastatic liver tumors Tumors are deemed unresectable based on the following factors: 1-10 liver tumors Bilobar liver tumors Location of 1 or more lesions near a major intrahepatic vascular structure (hepatic vein, portal vein, vena cava) Severe cirrhosis to preclude a major liver resection No unresectable extrahepatic disease Prior failure of other therapeutic modalities allowed No more than moderate ascites No hepatic encephalopathy PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Any age Performance status: Zubrod 0-1 Life expectancy: At least 3 months Hematopoietic: Not specified Hepatic: No severe liver dysfunction (Child's Class C) Bilirubin no greater than 3.0 mg/dL Albumin no greater than 3.0 mg/dL PT no greater than 50% above normal Renal: No renal dysfunction Creatinine less than 2.0 mg/dL Other: Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception No altered mental status No active infection PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy Surgery: See Disease Characteristics

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
Efficacy of Radiofrequency Ablation in Patients with Primary or Metastatic Liver Cancer1 Month

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026