Radiofrequency Ablation in Treating Patients With Liver Cancer and Cirrhosis

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), meeting 1 of the following criteria:
• * Histologically confirmed HCC
• * Discrete non-biopsied hepatic tumors, meeting 1 of the following criteria:
• * Hypervascular tumor \> 2 cm by 2 imaging studies
• * Hypervascular tumor \> 2 cm by a single imaging study AND alpha-fetoprotein ≥ 400 ng/mL
• * Discrete non-biopsied hypervascular hepatic tumors by 2 consecutive imaging studies (e.g., CT scan or MRI) with documented tumor growth \> 1 cm in diameter
• Histologically confirmed cirrhosis OR typical findings of cirrhosis (i.e., nodular liver, splenomegaly, varices, or ascites) by CT scan and/or MRI scan
• Single hepatic tumor \> 3.0 cm but ≤ 5.0 cm in diameter OR 3 or fewer hepatic tumors ≤ 3.0 cm in diameter
• * No excessive intrahepatic tumor burden (i.e., \> 3 hepatic tumors OR a single hepatic tumor \> 5 cm OR more than 3 vague hypervascular nodules \> 1 cm)
• Tumor(s) ≥ 1 cm from the main, right, and left portal veins and hollow viscera
• * No hepatic or portal vein tumor invasion
• Tumor(s) \> 1 cm treatable by percutaneous radiofrequency ablation
• No extrahepatic tumor
• Not a surgical candidate due to any of the following reasons:
• * Tumor in an unresectable location
• * Comorbid disease
• * Insufficient hepatic reserve
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 and over
• Performance status
• Zubrod 0-2
• Life expectancy
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic
• No uncorrectable coagulopathy
• Hepatic
• Not specified
• Renal
• Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL
• Other
• Not pregnant
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No active symptomatic bacterial or fungal infection that is newly diagnosed and/or requires treatment
• No absolute contraindication to IV iodinated contrast (i.e., history of significant contrast reaction not mitigated by appropriate premedication)
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy
• No prior or concurrent chemotherapy for HCC
• No prior or concurrent chemoembolization for HCC
• Endocrine therapy
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy
• No prior or concurrent radiotherapy for HCC
• Surgery
• No prior choledochoenteric anastomosis
• No prior sphincterotomy of duodenal papilla
• Other
• No prior or concurrent cryoablation for HCC
• No other prior or concurrent therapy for HCC
• At least 7 days since prior aspirin
• At least 24 hours since prior ibuprofen
• At least 12 hours since prior low molecular weight heparin preparations