Percutaneous Cryoablation of Recurrent or Oligometastatic Tumors in Thoracoabdominal Soft Tissues: Safety, Effectiveness, and Technical Aspects.

Purpose: To assess the effectiveness and safety of cryoablation (CRA) for the treatment of recurrent or oligometastatic solid tumors located in the thoracoabdominal soft tissues.
Materials and Methods: Twenty-two percutaneous CRA procedures performed in 19 patients to treat recurrent or oligometastatic tumors in thoracoabdominal soft tissue were retrospectively examined. All procedures were performed between January 2015 and June 2021 under ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) guidance, and the most complex procedures were performed with CT-based navigation systems. The histology of the primary tumors included colorectal adenocarcinoma, squamous cell lung carcinoma, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Adverse events, technical success, and local tumor control were analyzed.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 66.5 years, with a mean tumor size of 24.8 mm. The mean time of the procedures was 68 minutes, with a mean number of 2.5 cryoprobes used. Hydrodissection was performed in 63% of the procedures to protect the surrounding anatomical structures. The mean size of the ice ball, measured on axial CT scans at the end of the procedures, was 43.5 mm. No severe adverse events were observed. Technical success was achieved in all cases. Three patients experienced local tumor progression (2 residual disease and 1 recurrence), which were successfully treated with a second CRA procedure.
Conclusions: Percutaneous CRA is a safe and effective therapy in selected cases of recurrent or oligometastatic tumors in the thoracoabdominal soft tissues.
(Copyright © 2023 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)