Clinical Research Directory

Therapeutic Efficacy and Safety of Ultrasound-Guided Microwave Ablation for Hepatic Metastatic Nodules

The liver is one of the most common organs where cancer cells spread (metastasize) from other parts of the body, especially from gastrointestinal cancers such as colorectal cancer. While surgical removal of liver tumors has traditionally been the standard treatment, most patients are not candidates for surgery due to tumor location, number of lesions, or underlying liver function. For these individuals, minimally invasive local therapies such as microwave ablation (MWA) provide an alternative approach to eradicate tumor tissue while preserving healthy liver parenchyma. Microwave ablation delivers localized high-frequency electromagnetic energy through a thin needle antenna placed percutaneously into the liver tumor. The generated heat induces rapid coagulative necrosis, destroying cancer cells within the target area. In this study, real-time ultrasound combined with CT image-fusion navigation is used to precisely position the ablation antenna within each nodule. The primary purpose of this study is to assess the therapeutic efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation for patients with liver metastases. Participants receive microwave ablation for their target liver tumors and are evaluated with contrast-enhanced CT or MRI at 1 month post-procedure to determine the rate of complete tumor ablation. Patients are then monitored longitudinally at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months to evaluate safety and check for local tumor recurrence.

Iparomlimab/Tuvonralimab Combined With Bevacizumab and CAPEOX as Conversion Therapy for Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastasis

More than half of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients present with RAS mutations or right-sided primary tumors; however, objective response rates (ORRs) to bevacizumab combined with chemotherapy remain suboptimal. Additionally, approximately 95% of metastatic CRC (mCRC) cases are microsatellite stable (MSS), where immune checkpoint inhibitor monotherapy demonstrates limited efficacy, necessitating combination strategies. Iparomlimab/tuvonralimab is the first bifunctional combination of anti-PD-1/anti-CTLA-4 monoclonal antibodies, which has shown therapeutic promise in first-line mCRC when combined with bevacizumab and capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (CAPEOX). Nevertheless, whether improved treatment response rates in mCRC patients can lead to higher surgical conversion rates remains unclear. This study evaluates the efficacy and safety of iparomlimab/tuvonralimab combined with bevacizumab and CAPEOX as conversion therapy in patients with right-sided or RAS-mutant, MSS, initially unresectable colorectal cancer liver metastasis.

Comparison of Hepatectomy and Local Ablation for Resectable Synchronous and Metachronous Colorectal Liver Metastasis

The surgical and local ablation strategy for the treatment of resectable synchronous and metachronous colorectal liver metastases(CRLM) has not still been defined. The purpose of this study is to compare two treatment strategies in which simultaneous resection of both primary and secondary tumor of synchronous CRLM(SCRLM) and resection of metachronous CRLM(MCRLM) is compared with resection of primary tumor and ablation of secondary tumor in SCRLM and ablation of MCRLM. Endpoints include the rate of severe complications and survival.