Here are just two more of many 2012 articles on clinical trials of MWA: (If the treatments are not designated as Phase X but are observed by other interested parties and/or published, I assume “clinical trial” is indicated.)
There are many such trials being done -- worldwide -- all with excellent results, evidently (I have seen no results that were not very positive).
I believe we are leaving the clinical trials phase for MWA – now or very soon – and entering the routine use phase, which will rapidly accelerate overall usage and probably last “forever” -- i.e., become a standard practice. And, many hospitals will begin buying or leasing MTX-180 units (as they are being hailed as the best) rather than using the FPU (fee-per-use) program. However, whether buy or lease or pay a fee, the main income to BSD Medical will be from the expensive disposables (currently about $2000 per each -- and up to three used per treatment).
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22249698
Radiologe. 2012 Jan;52(1):22-8.
(Microwave tumor ablation. New devices, new applications?).
(Article in German)
Hoffmann R, Rempp H, Clasen S.
(clip)
<In contrast to other tumor ablation methods microwave ablation causes a direct heating of a tissue volume, thus this method is less vulnerable to the cooling effect of vessels in the ablation zone. Moreover the electric conductivity of the treated tissue does not influence microwave radiation so that microwave ablation has advantages for the treatment of high-resistance organs, such as the lungs or bone. Some publications have shown that microwave ablation causes larger ablation zones in less time in comparison to radiofrequency ablation.
PRACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS:
Classic indications for microwave ablation are the treatment of malignancies of the liver, lungs and kidneys. Initial technical problems have been solved, so that an increasing significance of the microwave ablation among the ablative therapies is to be expected.>
http://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/pdf/v18/i23/3008.pdf
Ultrasound-guided microwave ablation for abdominal wall
metastatic tumors: A preliminary study
Cai Qi, Xiao-Ling Yu, Ping Liang, Zhi-Gang Cheng, Fang-Yi Liu, Zhi-Yu Han, Jie Yu
<AIM:
To evaluate the feasibility, safety and efficacy of ultrasound-guided microwave (MW) ablation for abdominal wall metastatic tumors.
METHODS: From August 2007 to December 2010, a total of 11 patients with 23 abdominal wall nodules (diameter 2.59 cm ± 1.11 cm, range 1.3 cm to 5.0 cm) were treated with MW ablation. One antenna was inserted into the center of tumors less than 1.7 cm, and multiple antennae were inserted simultaneously into tumors 1.7 cm or larger. A 21 gauge thermocouple was inserted near important organs which required protection (such as bowel or gallbladder) for real-time temperature monitoring during MW ablation. Treatment outcome was observed by contrast-enhanced ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) [or computed tomography (CT)] during follow-up. RESULTS: MW ablation was well tolerated by all patients. Six patients with 11 nodules had 1 thermocouple inserted near important organs for real-time temperature monitoring and the maximum temperature was 56 ?. Major complications included mild pain (54.5%), post-ablation fever (100%) and abdominal wall edema (25%). All 23 tumors (100%) in this group were completely ablated, and no residual tumor or local recurrence was observed at a median follow-up of 13 mo (range 1 to 32 mo). The ablation zone was well defined on contrast-enhanced imaging (contrast-enhanced CT, MRI and/or contrast-enhanced ultrasound) and gradually shrank with time. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-guided MW ablation may be a feasible, safe and effective treatment for abdominal wall metastatic tumors in selected patients. > |
