Chemotherapy plus percutaneous radiofrequency ablation in patients with inoperable colorectal liver metastases

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the patients

Characteristic	Adjunctive chemotherapy group (n = 13)	Primary FOLFIRI group (n = 10)	Primary FOLFOX group (n = 8)
Age (yr)
Range	47-84	54-80	60-84
Median	77	68.5	80
Sex (%)
Male	9 (69.0)	7 (70.0)	3 (37.5)
Female	4 (31.0)	3 (30.0)	5 (62.5)
Stage of cancer at initial presentation (%)
Stage I	2 (15.5)	0	2 (25.0)
Stage II	5 (38.5)	4 (40.0)	0
Stage III	6 (46.0)	1 (10.0)	1 (12.5)
Stage IV	0	4 (40.0)	5 (62.5)
Missing data	0	1 (10.0)
Previous chemotherapy
Yes (adjuvant)	10	2	3
Yes (for metastatic disease)	0	0	5
No	3	8	3
Previous RFA
Yes	0	0	5
No	13	10	3
Liver metastases per patient at inclusion
Range	1-3	1-4	1-4
Median	1	2	1
1Max diameter of larger metastasis per patient at inclusion (cm)
Range	1.5-5.5	1.7-6.5	2.8-5.5
Mean	3	4.2	4.5
1Sum of the maximum diameters of liver metastases per patient at inclusion (cm)
Range	2-8	1.7-9.9	3.9-14.6
Mean	4.1	6.4	6.6

¹There was statistically significant difference between the adjunctive chemotherapy group and the two primary chemotherapy groups. FOLFIRI: 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin and irinotecan combination; FOLFOX: 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin and oxaliplatin combination; RFA: Radiofrequency ablation.

Table 2 Distribution of radiofrequency ablation administration and efficacy in the three different patient’s groups

Characteristic	Adjunctive chemotherapy group (n = 13)	Primary FOLFIRI group (n = 10)	Primary FOLFOX group (n = 8)
Patients who had RFA	13	4	4
Metastases treated with RFA	20	7	4
Metastases per patient treated with RFA
Range	1-3	1-3	1-1
Median	1	2	1
Metastases with good radiological result after first attempt (%)	16 (80.0)	3 (43.0)	3 (75.0)
Metastases with good result following further RFA attempts	2	3	0
Metastases with good radiological result in total (%)	18 (90.0)	6 (86.0)	3 (75.0)

FOLFIRI: 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin and irinotecan combination; FOLFOX: 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin and oxaliplatin combination; RFA: Radiofrequency ablation.

Table 3 Distribution of chemotherapy administration, efficacy and toxicity in the three different patient’s groups

Characteristic	Adjunctive chemotherapy group (n = 13)	Primary FOLFIRI group (n = 10)	Primary FOLFOX group (n = 8)
Chemotherapy cycles given per patient
Range	3-6	2-12	3-12
Median	6	7	8
Response to chemotherapy (%)
CR/PR	-	2 (20.0)	2 (25.0)
SD	-	5 (50.0)	5 (62.5)
PD	-	2 (20.0)	1 (12.5)
Not applicable	13	1 (10.0)	0
Discontinuation of chemotherapy
Due to death	1	1	0
Due to toxicity	1	0	1

CR: Complete response; PR: Partial response; SD: Stable disease; PD: Progressive disease; FOLFIRI: 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin and irinotecan combination; FOLFOX: 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin and oxaliplatin combination; RFA: Radiofrequency ablation.