Ablation of liver tumors: How far can we go?

The goal of the ablations for liver tumors is to achieve complete eradication of malignant tissues. For this reason, these techniques belong with resection and transplantation to the class of curative intent treatments. Ablation is theoretically offered to non-operable patients bearing up to three tumors up to three centimeters. Unfortunately, ablation is denied to non-neglectable number of them because of visibility of tumor regarded as insufficient or location found as too high-risk level of complication. Hence, according to treatment migration stage strategy, these patients receive endo-arterial treatments theoretically indicated for the control of tumor progression in more advanced stages. Technological improvements like fusion imaging or No touch ablation using multibipolar techniques allow to overcome most of these limits of feasibility. Their routine use leads to dramatic decrease in resort to treatment migration stage strategy. They also open therapeutic management in curative attempt for subgroup of patients bearing more advanced stages.

Key words: No Touch ablation, Curative treatment, Treatment stage migration strategy