Clinical effect and safety of radiofrequency ablation combined with systemic chemotherapy in treatment of unresectable or postoperative recurrent intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma

Objective To investigate the clinical effect and safety of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation ( RFA) combined with systemic chemotherapy in the treatment of unresectable or postoperative recurrent intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma. Methods The patients with unresectable or postoperative recurrent cholangiocellular carcinoma who were treated from January 2011 to December 2016 were enrolled. All patients underwent CT-guided RFA, followed by systemic chemotherapy since one week after surgery, with the regimen of gemcitabine given concurrently with cisplatin ( gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 combined with cisplatin 25 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8, for 6 cycles in total) . Treatment outcome and safety were observed. Results There were 45 lesions in total, and RFA and chemotherapy were performed for all lesions. The overall objective response rate was 79. 2%. The complete ablation rate of the lesions at one month after surgery was 86. 7% ( 39/45) . The patients were followed up for 11-67 months after surgery, and at the end of follow-up, the rate of local progression was20. 0% ( 9/45) . The median time to progression was 13. 0 months, the median survival time was 28. 6 months, and the 1-, 2-, and 3-yaer survival rates were 87. 3%, 69. 3%, and 32. 6%, respectively. Major side effects included hematological toxicity and elevated aminotransferases, and there were no serious adverse events associated with RFA. Conclusion RFA combined with systemic chemotherapy is a safe and feasible regimen for unresectable or postoperative recurrent intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma.