Cancer Treatment Today

Laser induced interstitial thermal therapy (LITT/ILT) and laser ablation is a minimally invasive therapy for the treatment of solid tumors that utilizes image guided laser probes to heat and destroy the affected tissue. It is inlike the much better established RFA or other published ablation techniques. Swedish Agency for Health Technology Assessment reviewed this procedure and concluded the following:
“•It is uncertain whether or not laser-induced thermotherapy extends life in patients with liver metastases. Comparative studies are lacking. Studies published to date show that this treatment method can ablate metastases, and that risks associated with the procedure are minor. However, the beneficial effects of metastases ablation, in terms of symptoms and quality of life, has not been demonstrated in the literature.
•Use of the method should be limited to controlled trials. This implies, eg, that patients must be informed about the different treatment options and the scientific evidence available at the time”.

Laser-induced interstitial thermal therapy for liver metastases. Swedish Council on Health Technology Assessment. Alert Report No. 2011-01. Stockholm, Sweden: SBU; March 2, 2011. Available at <http://www.sbu.se> (accessed May 10, 2019).

Eichler K1, Zangos S, Gruber-Rouh T, et al. MR-guided laser-induced thermotherapy (LITT) in patients with liver metastases of uveal melanoma. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2014 Dec;28(12):1756-60. Epub 2014 Mar 5. PMID 24593299.
18.Saccomandi P, Schena E, Di Matteo FM, et al. Laser interstitial thermotherapy for pancreatic tumor ablation: Theoretical model and experimental validation

15.Vogl TJ, Straub R, Eichler K, Söllner O, Mack MG. Colorectal carcinoma metastases in liver: laser-induced interstitial thermotherapy – local tumor control rate and survival data. Radiology 2004;230(2):450-8.
16.Vogl TJ, Straub R, Zangos S, Mack MG, Eichler K. MR-guided laser-induced thermotherapy (LITT) of liver tumours: experimental and clinical data. Int J Hyperthermia 2004;20(7):713-24.
17.Wiksell H, Schässburger KU, Janicijevic M, Leifland K, Löfgren L, Rotstein S, et al. Prevention of tumour cell dissemination in diagnostic needle procedures. Br J Cancer 2010;103(11):1706-9.
18.Wietzke-Braun P, Schindler C, Raddatz D, Braun F, Armbrust T, Nolte W, et al. Quality of life and outcome of ultrasound-guided laser interstitial thermo-therapy for non-resectable liver metastases of colorectal cancer. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2004;16(4):389-95.