ArticleEuropean radiology2022
Multi-institutional analysis of outcomes for thermosphere microwave ablation treatment of colorectal liver metastases: the SMAC study.
Article in European radiology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 9 citations in OpenAlex.
- 2025 American Thyroid Association Management Guidelines for Adult Patients with Differentiated Thyroid Cancer.Thyroid : official journal of the American Thyroid Association · 2025Guideline
- Results from the Pan-European CIEMAR study: Local Tumour Control After Microwave Ablation of Colorectal Liver Metastases and Exploratory Associations with Ablation Margins and Confirmation Software.Cardiovascular and interventional radiology · 2026Article
- Image-Guided Microwave Ablation of Liver Tumours Using a 150-W Generator: Ex Vivo and Multicenter in Vivo Predictability Assessment.Cardiovascular and interventional radiology · 2026Article
- Safety and Efficacy of High Power (> 100W) Microwave Ablation Using the EMPRINT™ HP System: Final Results of a Post-Market Clinical Follow-Up Study.Cardiovascular and interventional radiology · 2026Article
- Safety and Efficacy of Percutaneous Liver Microwave Ablation Using a Fully Water-Cooled Choke Ring Antenna: First Multicenter Clinical Report.Cardiovascular and interventional radiology · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
21 authors at 6 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesOligometastatic colorectal cancer benefits of locoregional treatments but data concerning microwave ablation (MWA) are limited and interactions with systemic therapy are still debated. The aim of this study is to evaluate safety and effectiveness of Thermosphere™ MWA (T-MWA) of colorectal liver metastases (CLM) and factors affecting local tumor progression-free survival (LTPFS).
methodsIn this multi-institutional retrospective study (January 2015-September 2019), patients who underwent T-MWA for CLM were enrolled. Complications according to SIR classification were collected, primary efficacy and LTP were calculated. Analyzed variables included CLM size at diagnosis and at ablation, CLM number, ablation margins, intra-segment progression, chemotherapy before ablation (CBA), variations in size (ΔS
resultsOne hundred thirty-two patients with 213 CLM were evaluated. Complications were reported in 6/150 procedures (4%); no biliary complications occurred. Primary efficacy was achieved in 204/213 CLM (95.7%). LTP occurred in 58/204 CLM (28.4%). Six-, twelve-, and eighteen-month LTPFS were 88.2%, 75.8%, and 69.9%, respectively. At multivariate analysis, CLM size at ablation (p = 0.00045), CLM number (p = 0.046), ablation margin < 5 mm (p = 0.0035), and intra-segment progression (p < 0.0001) were statistically significant for LTPFS. ΔS
conclusionT-MWA is a safe and effective technology with adequate LTPFS rates. Intra-segment progression is significantly linked to LTPFS. CBA does not affect LTPFS. Anticipating ablation before chemotherapy may take the advantages of adequate tumor size with correct ablation margin planning. KEY POINTS: • Thermosphere™-Microwave ablation is a safe and effective treatment for colorectal liver metastases with no registered biliary complications in more than 200 ablations. • Metastases size at time of ablation, intra-segment progression, and minimal ablation margin < 5 mm were found statistically significant for local tumor progression-free survival. • Chemotherapy before ablation modifies kinetics growth of the lesions but deteriorates ablation margins and does not significantly impact local tumor progression-free survival.
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