Simultaneous Gemcitabine and Percutaneous CT-Guided Irreversible Electroporation for Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

BACKGROUND: Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a new local ablation technique for pancreatic cancer. The aim of this study is to analyse the safety and effectiveness of simultaneous gemcitabine and percutaneous CT-guided IRE for locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From October 2016 to January 2018, 61 patients with LAPC who received simultaneous gemcitabine and IRE therapy (GEM-IRE group, n = 31) or IRE alone therapy (IRE group, n = 30). Routine intravenous gemcitabine chemotherapy was performed 2 weeks after IRE in both groups. RESULTS: Technical success rates were 90.0% (27/30) and 93.3% (28/30) in the GEM-IRE and IRE groups. Compared with the IRE group, the GEM-IRE group exhibited longer overall survival (OS), local tumor progression free survival (LTPFS), and distant disease free survival (DDFS) from IRE (OS, 17.1 vs. 14.2 months, p=0.031; LTPFS, 14.6 vs. 10.2 months, p=0.045; DDFS, 15.4 vs. 11.7 months, p=0.071). Multivariate Cox regression analysis results suggested that tumor volume ≤37 cm(3) and simultaneous gemcitabine with IRE were significant independent prognostic factors of OS, LTPFS, and DDFS. Four major adverse reactions occurred; all of them were resolved after symptomatic treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Simultaneous gemcitabine and percutaneous CT-guided IRE therapy model was effective and well-tolerated therapeutic strategy in LAPC patients.