Irreversible electroporation therapy for unresectable local advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC)

Pancreatology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. S124
Author(s):  
Fuminori Moriyasu ◽  
Takayoshi Tsuchiya ◽  
Takao Itoi ◽  
Yuichi Nagakawa ◽  
Akihiko Tsuchida
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1609
Author(s):  
Zainab L. Rai ◽  
Roger Feakins ◽  
Laura J. Pallett ◽  
Derek Manas ◽  
Brian R. Davidson

Locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) accounts for 30% of patients with pancreatic cancer. Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a novel cancer treatment that may improve survival and quality of life in LAPC. This narrative review will provide a perspective on the clinical experience of pancreas IRE therapy, explore the evidence for the mode of action, assess treatment complications, and propose strategies for augmenting IRE response. A systematic search was performed using PubMed regarding the clinical use and safety profile of IRE on pancreatic cancer, post-IRE sequential histological changes, associated immune response, and synergistic therapies. Animal data demonstrate that IRE induces both apoptosis and necrosis followed by fibrosis. Major complications may result from IRE; procedure related mortality is up to 2%, with an average morbidity as high as 36%. Nevertheless, prospective and retrospective studies suggest that IRE treatment may increase median overall survival of LAPC to as much as 30 months and provide preliminary data justifying the well-designed trials currently underway, comparing IRE to the standard of care treatment. The mechanism of action of IRE remains unknown, and there is a lack of data on treatment variables and efficiency in humans. There is emerging data suggesting that IRE can be augmented with synergistic therapies such as immunotherapy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 410-410
Author(s):  
Emanuel Boyer ◽  
Russell Palm ◽  
Jessica M. Frakes ◽  
Sarah E. Hoffe ◽  
Mokenge Peter Malafa

410 Background: Outcomes remain poor for those diagnosed with unresectable pancreatic cancer. SBRT and IRE have independently demonstrated high rates of local control and minimal toxicity for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC). Data is limited regarding safety and efficacy in the sequential use of both therapies. Materials and Methods: A single institution retrospective matched cohort analysis was performed for patients with non-metastatic pancreatic cancer treated with induction chemotherapy and SBRT followed by IRE, compared with patients of the same cohort who did not receive IRE. Patients were paired based on age, tumor stage, GTV D95, CA19-9 prior to SBRT, and chemotherapy type to mitigate selection bias in surgical candidates. Overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS), freedom from local failure (FFLF) and freedom from distant failure (FFDF) were the primary outcomes compared via Kaplan-Meier survival analysis with log-rank methods. Results: From July, 2014 to February, 2020 17 patients received SBRT followed by IRE. These patients were matched with 17 patients who received SBRT from January, 2012 to March, 2019. Most patients received neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX (82.4%) and were AJCC 8 stage III (79.4%). Median age of the overall cohort was 65.5 years and 50% were male. Median dose delivered to 95% of gross tumor volume was 32.61 Gy, and median pre SBRT CA19-9 value was 70.5 U/mL. There were no statistically significant differences in matched characteristics between the two cohorts. Among the SBRT+IRE, the median time between IRE and SBRT was 66 days (range:49-467 days). The median OS, PFS, FFLF, and FFDF for IRE+SBRT vs. SBRT alone from SBRT was 10.8 vs 15.1 months, 9.6 vs. 15.3 months, 15.7 vs. 15.3 months, 15.9 vs. 14.4 months respectively (all P > .10). 11 patients in the entire cohort experienced toxicity as a result of their radiation therapy (35%), with one G3 GIB and one patient experiencing G3 abdominal pain. Among the 17 patients who underwent IRE, nine patients experienced toxicity (53%). Most of these events were G3, with two G4 intestinal bleeds. There was zero mortality in the 90 day period post operatively. Conclusions: In a retrospective cohort,non-selective delivery ofIRE afterSBRT demonstrated no oncological benefit for patients with unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma compared to only SBRT. Compared to historical experiences of IRE alone, there was no increase in overall toxicity with the combination of SBRT and IRE. The optimal timing, sequencing, and indications for IRE and SBRT in LAPC remain unknown and are best assessed prospectively. [Table: see text]


Cancers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 976 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eran van Veldhuisen ◽  
Claudia van den Oord ◽  
Lilly J. Brada ◽  
Marieke S. Walma ◽  
Jantien A. Vogel ◽  
...  

Locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) has several definitions but essentially is a nonmetastasized pancreatic cancer, in which upfront resection is considered not beneficial due to extensive vascular involvement and consequent high chance of a nonradical resection. The introduction of FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy and gemcitabine-nab-paclitaxel (gem-nab) has had major implications for the management and outcome of patients with LAPC. After 4–6 months induction chemotherapy, the majority of patients have stable disease or even tumor-regression. Of these, 12 to 35% are successfully downstaged to resectable disease. Several studies have reported a 30–35 months overall survival after resection; although it currently remains unclear if this is a result of the resection or the good response to chemotherapy. Following chemotherapy, selection of patients for resection is difficult, as contrast-enhanced computed-tomography (CT) scan is unreliable in differentiating between viable tumor and fibrosis. In case a resection is not considered possible but stable disease is observed, local ablative techniques are being studied, such as irreversible electroporation, radiofrequency ablation, and stereotactic body radiation therapy. Pragmatic, multicenter, randomized studies will ultimately have to confirm the exact role of both surgical exploration and ablation in these patients. Since evidence-based guidelines for the management of LAPC are lacking, this review proposes a standardized approach for the treatment of LAPC based on the best available evidence.


2019 ◽  
Vol 03 (02) ◽  
pp. 138-142
Author(s):  
Gray R. Lyons ◽  
Brian J. Schiro ◽  
Govindarajan Narayanan

AbstractLocally advanced pancreatic cancer is often refractory to conventional therapy, thus warranting new approaches. Irreversible electroporation is an ablative modality that has the potential to deliver targeted anticancer treatment with minimal damage to surrounding structures. Indications for irreversible electroporation in pancreatic cancer patients include palliation for metastatic disease, downstaging for surgery in locally advanced disease, and treatment of local recurrence following operative resection. Benefits of the modality in pancreatic cancer include a minimally invasive approach, precise delivery that minimizes nontarget ablation, and upregulation of anticancer immune response. Early studies have demonstrated an acceptable safety profile for irreversible electroporation; however, more data are needed to define the role of IRE in the treatment algorithm of pancreatic cancer.


2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (05) ◽  
pp. 386-391
Author(s):  
Gregory T. Frey ◽  
Carlos A. Padula ◽  
John A. Stauffer ◽  
Beau B. Toskich

AbstractEfforts to improve mortality associated with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) have shown minimal gains despite advances in surgical technique, systemic treatments, and radiation therapy. Locoregional therapy with ablation has not been routinely adopted due to the high risk of complications associated with thermal destruction of the pancreas. Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is an emerging, nonthermal, ablative technology that has demonstrated the ability to generate controlled ablation of LAPC while preserving pancreatic parenchymal integrity. IRE may be performed percutaneously or via laparotomy and will commonly involve multidisciplinary treatment teams. This article will describe the technical aspects of how multidisciplinary IRE is performed during laparotomy at a single tertiary care institution.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mao Lin ◽  
Xiaoyan Zhang ◽  
Shuzhen Liang ◽  
Haihua Luo ◽  
Mohammed Alnaggar ◽  
...  

Abstract Immunotherapy has limited efficacy against locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) due to the presence of an immunosuppressive microenvironment (ISM). Irreversible electroporation (IRE) can not only induce immunogenic cell death, but also alleviate immunosuppression. This study aimed to investigate the antitumor efficacy of IRE plus allogeneic γδ T cells in LAPC patients. A total of 62 patients who met the eligibility criteria were enrolled in this trial, then randomized into two groups (A: n = 30 and B: n = 32). All patients received IRE therapy and after receiving IRE, the group A patients received at least two cycles of γδ T-cell infusion as one course continuously. Group A patients had better survival than group B patients (median OS: 14.5 months vs. 11 months; median PFS: 11 months vs. 8.5 months). Moreover, the group A patients treated with multiple courses of γδ T-cell infusion had longer OS (17 months) than those who received a single course (13.5 months). IRE combined with allogeneic γδ T-cell infusion is a promising strategy to enhance the antitumor efficacy in LAPC patients, yielding extended survival benefits. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03180437.


2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 100675 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florentine E.F. Timmer ◽  
Bart Geboers ◽  
Alette H. Ruarus ◽  
Evelien A.C. Schouten ◽  
Sanne Nieuwenhuizen ◽  
...  

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