Irreversible electroporation of liver tumors

Abstract

The liver is a well-known site for tumors of benign as well as malignant origin. In the Western world, the most frequent hepatic malignancies encountered are liver metastases, especially but not solely from colorectal origin. Primary liver tumors, or the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), more frequently develop in people from Asian and Mediterranean countries. Although treatment of various tumors can be very different, they all have one thing in common. The only treatment option with curative intent is local treatment. Because nowadays several treatment modalities are available, diagnosis and treatment evaluation should be done by a specialized multidisciplinary (oncologic) liver team including a dedicated surgeon, an interventional and a diagnostic radiologist, a medical oncologist, a hepatologist, a radiation oncologist, a pathologist, and a nuclear medicine physician.