Medical expert in Guangzhou completed IRE for cancer patient from HK SAR By Ao Minhui in Guangzhou (Takungpao)

2016 the 5th International (Guangzhou) Forum for Cancer Treatment (IFCT),  was convened at Jinan University Affiliated Fuda Cancer Hospital on July 2. Over 20 medical experts at home and abroad gathered together and had in-depth discussion on the application of cryosurgery, Irreversible Electroporation (also called NanoKnife) and stem cell in the field of cancer treatment. The forum also live broadcast an IRE treatment for a pancreatic cancer patient performed by Prof. Niu Lizhi, executive president of Fuda Cancer Hospital.

The forum is live broadcasting the IRE treatment (taken by Ao Minhui)

The development of imaging technology has prompted the rise of interventional oncology, which marks a remarkable advance in cancer treatment. Modern cryoablation which is represented by argon-helium cryosurgery was emerged in the late period of last century. Irreversible Electroporation, came out in recent years, have gained rapid development. Both of the ablation methods have brought hope of life for patients who cannot tolerate surgery or who have unresectable tumors. At the forum, experts from the US, Japan, Austria, and China had in-depth discussion on new thought and new strategies for cancer treatment.

During the session of the forum, an IRE operation was also broadcast live. The surgeon was Prof. Niu Lizhi, executive president of Jinan University School of Medicine Affiliated Fuda Cancer Hospital. The patient, a 55-year old Hong Kong SAR resident, had repeated fever since early 2016 and was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Moreover, the patient was also found to have right thyroid nodules. On July 2nd, 2016, Prof. Niu Lizhi performed IRE on pancreatic tumor and right thyroid nodules. The procedure went smoothly and intraoperative bleeding was 2ml.

At present, over 6,000 cases of IRE treatments have performed for patients with tumor in parenchymal organs, including pancreas, liver, prostate, etc. It is especially advantageous in treating unresectable liver cancer and pancreatic cancer and tumors that are close to big blood vessels, hepatic hilar region, bile duct, and ureter.