dr. Laurens Hermie (MD, PhD)
Interventional Radiologsit – Department of vascular and Interventional Radiology (UZ Gent)
Research focus
Minimally invasive percutanous approaches for metastases
An increasing number of cancer patients present with only a limited number of metastases. In this situation, effective local treatment is important because it can control the disease and delay the need for intensive systemic therapy. Surgery is effective, but it can be burdensome for patients. Radiotherapy provides good local control for certain tumor types, but it is not suitable for every type of cancer or for all tumor locations. There is therefore a strong need for less invasive treatments that still offer durable tumor control.
To address this need, we are currently setting up a clinical study focused on patients with oligometastatic disease in the liver.
Thermal ablation is a proven, organ-sparing technique for small liver metastases, but for slightly larger tumors the risk of local recurrence increases. We are currently developing a clinical study aimed at improving local control for these larger liver metastases. In this study, we use a combined treatment in which targeted chemotherapy is first delivered through the tumor’s blood supply (transarterial chemoembolization, TACE), followed by thermal ablation in the same session. This combination may enhance the effectiveness of ablation and lead to better local tumor control.