Clinical observation of laser ablation combined with chemotherapy in postoperative colorectal cancers with liver metastasis.

BACKGROUND: This study is to evaluate the efficacy and adverse reaction of a combination therapy of chemotherapy and laser thermal ablation (LTA) on liver metastases from colorectal cancer.

METHODS: Eighty-five cases colorectal cancer liver metastases were assigned to the treatment group (43 cases) and to the control group (42 cases). The treatment group patients received LTA combined with FOLFIRI regimen chemotherapy, and the control group patients only received FOLFIRI regimen chemotherapy. The curative effects, the survival rate and adverse reaction of the two groups were observed and evaluated.

RESULTS: Response rate was 53.4% in the treatment group and 38.1% in the control group (P>0.05); disease control rate in the treatment group was 79.1%, higher than 64.3% in control group with significant difference (P<0.01); median progression free survival was 11.8 months in treatment group and 6.8 months in control group (P<0.01); The median overall survival time was 19.1 months in treatment group and 14.9 months in control group (P<0.05). Among the 113 lesions receiving LTA, 104 lesions (92%) were completely destroyed. The main complications of LTA were fever and local pain. The adverse effects between both groups showed no difference.

CONCLUSIONS: LTA in combination with chemotherapy of colorectal carcinoma liver metastases is effective and well-tolerated.