PERCUTANEOUS INTERSTITIAL LASER HYPERTHERMIA LN CLINICAL USE

Twelve patients were treated with laser-induced hyperthermia. Eight ha d liver metastases from breast cancer or colorectal cancer, and four w ere treated for a primary tumour, two in the liver, one in the biliary tract and one in the pancreas. The mean diameter of the metastases wa s 2.5 cm and of the primary tumours 4 cm. One patient was given ethano l injections before the treatment, and seven were treated with chemoth erapy before and two after the treatment. At the time of writing this report, all the patients rue still alive. The follow-up times vary fro m six months to five years. Treatment was technically possible in all cases. The smallest metastasis disappeared totally and, with the excep tion of a few larger tumours, they were reduced in size. There were no serious complications. The patients were treated percutaneously under ultrasonographic imaging in real time. Only minor side effects were s een, and the method is safe. Technically, laserthermia is easy to perf orm. A skilful radiologist is needed, and the presence of an anaesthet ist makes it possible to safely treat tumours that can be reached only when respiration is controlled mechanically. Controlled, randomized s tudies are now needed to evaluate the method in comparison with other palliative treatment modalities.