High-intensity Focused Ultrasound In Combination With Chemotherapy For Treatment Of Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

Objective:To evaluate the therapeutic effect and the safety of high-intensity focused ultrasound(HIFU) in combination with chemotherapy for treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer.Methods:Fourteen cases of pancreatic cancer which have received HIFU and chemotherapy were collected. We studied history and then followed-up them by telephone. Detailed information of patients were collected. The change of pain and KPS, the level of CA199, the complications and the overall survival were mainly observed.Results:The median follow-up time was 4 months(1 month-20 months). The evaluation of pain was relieved in 57.1% (8/14) cases. Before the treatment the pain score was 3.07±2.20 by tested with NSR-11. After treatment it was 1.50±1.40. There was significant difference(P＜0.05). The pain score decreased in 10 cases, and the pain medications were reduced in 6 cases. The KPS score was 75.7±15.5 before treatment, and 77.9±40.7 after treatment(P＞0.05). Four cases had a better KPS after treatment. 35.7%cases had a decrease in CA199 concentration of at least 50%. and 35.7% cases had a stable CA199 concentration which changed between±20%. There were slight hurt, skin burn in complications with HIFU, and gastrointestinal bleeding was observed in 1 case. Chemotherapy-related toxicity were mainly myelosuppression(7/14). nausea and vomiting(3/14), liver injury(3/14). The median overall time was 6.0 months. Six-month and 12-month survival rates were 50.0% and 42.9% respectively.Conclusions:The combination of HIFU and chemotherapy in advanced pancreatic cancer is available and safe, but the effectiveness should be confirmed in randomized controlled trials with a larger sample number.