Last Updated: November 29, 2005



CHICAGO (Reuters Health) - Magnetic resonance-guided laser-induced
thermotherapy (LITT) for treatment of both primary and metastatic
liver tumors improves survival with less morbidity compared to
standard surgical resection, researchers reported Tuesday at the
annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.


Dr. Martin Mack, associate professor of diagnostic and interventional
radiology at the University of Frankfort, Germany reported results
from a series of 839 patients, mean age 62, who underwent LITT over a
12-year period.

The operative mortality rate was just 0.2% for the LITT patients
compared with an historical mortality rate of 3%-4% for patients who
undergo open-surgical resections, Dr. Mack said. Likewise, post-
procedural complications were much lower: 2% among LITT patients
versus 30% in historical controls.

"Those who undergo surgery have a median survival of 3.4 to 4.5
years, but patients who undergo ablation treatment have a median
survival of around 5 years," reported Dr. Mack in a press briefing.
He said that LITT can also be repeated several times in the event of
recurrences.

The LITT procedure involves MRI to precisely locate a tumor and then
guide a laser probe into the tumor. Laser energy destroys the lesion.
Dr. Mack said the procedure is equally effective for primary liver
tumors or metastases.

LITT is, however, limited by both the number of lesions and the size
of the tumors. Ideally patients should have no more than five
lesions, each 5 cm or less. For patients with larger tumors or more
lesions, he recommended staging with chemotherapy or
chemoembolization prior to LITT.

Unlike surgical resection, which can require a week or more hospital
stay, LITT patients are typically discharged within 6 hours. "It can
be performed on an outpatient basis," Dr. Mack said.

Cost comparisons also favor LITT, "with each ablation costing about
$5,000-$6,000 versus $30,000 for surgery and chemotherapy averaging
$3,000 to $5,000 a month with treatment continuing over several
months," he said.





----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------

www.asco.org c Copyright 2002 American Society of Clinical Oncology
All rights reserved worldwide.