Chemotherapy plus concurrent irreversible electroporation improved local tumor control in unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma compared with chemotherapy alone

Abstract

Introduction

Unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma (UHC) is a malignant tumor and has a poor prognosis. IRE is a novel non-thermal ablative therapy that causes cellular apoptosis via electrical impulses. To compare the curative effect for UHC, chemotherapy plus concurrent IRE and chemotherapy alone were set up.

Materials and methods

From July 2015 to May 2019, 47 patients with UHC were analyzed to chemotherapy + IRE group (n = 23) or chemotherapy alone group (n = 24) in this study. Treatment response was assessed with computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 1 month after treatment and every 3 months thereafter. Local tumor progression (LTP), time to LTP, overall survival (OS) and procedure-related complications were compared between the two groups.

Results

Chemotherapy plus concurrent IRE group showed a tendency toward a decreased rate of LTP (16.7% vs. 39.5%; p = 0.039) and an increased complete response rate (52.2% vs. 12.5%; p = 0.011) compared with chemotherapy alone group. Time to LTP was significantly longer in the chemotherapy plus concurrent IRE group compared to chemotherapy alone group (11.2 months vs. 4.2 months; p = 0.001). Median OS was significantly longer in the chemotherapy plus concurrent IRE group compared to chemotherapy alone group (19.6 months vs. 10.2 months; p = 0.001).

Conclusions

Chemotherapy plus concurrent IRE improved local control and prolonged time to LTP and OS in patients with UHC.

Keywords:

• Unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma
• irreversible electroporation
• chemotherapy
• local tumor control
• overall survival

Acknowledgements

The authors thank all patients, doctors, nurses for their kindness to support this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during this study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by grants from the International Science Foundation of Affiliated Fuda Cancer Hospital, Jinan University [NO. Y2021-MS-03].