title: Successful palliative approach with high-intensity focused ultrasound in a patient with metastatic anaplastic pancreatic carcinoma: a case report.
abstract: We report a case of a 74-year-old man with a metastatic anaplastic pancreatic carcinoma (APC). After an early tumour progression on first-line chemotherapy with cisplatin and gemcitabine, even though it was badly tolerated, he was treated with a combination of systemic modified FOLFIRI and high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) on the pancreatic mass. A tumour showing partial response with a clinical benefit was obtained. HIFU was preferred to radiotherapy because of its shorter course and minimal side effects, in order to improve the patient's clinical conditions. The patient is currently on chemotherapy, asymptomatic with a good performance status. In referral centres, with specific expertise, HIFU could be safely and successfully combined with systemic chemotherapy for treatment of metastatic pancreatic carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology and Neuroendocrine Tumours, European Institute of Oncology, Milan 20141, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ungaro
authors.affiliation: Unit of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology and Neuroendocrine Tumours, European Institute of Oncology, Milan 20141, Italy.
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Orsi
authors.affiliation: Unit of Diagnostic Cytology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan 20141, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Casadio
authors.affiliation: Unit of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology and Neuroendocrine Tumours, European Institute of Oncology, Milan 20141, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Galdy
authors.affiliation: Unit of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology and Neuroendocrine Tumours, European Institute of Oncology, Milan 20141, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Spada
authors.affiliation: Unit of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology and Neuroendocrine Tumours, European Institute of Oncology, Milan 20141, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara Alessandra
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Cella
authors.affiliation: Unit of Diagnostic Cytology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan 20141, Italy.
authors.forename: Clementina Di
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Tonno
authors.affiliation: Unit of Interventional Radiology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan 20141, Italy.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bonomo
authors.affiliation: Unit of Interventional Radiology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan 20141, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo Della
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Vigna
authors.affiliation: Unit of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology and Neuroendocrine Tumours, European Institute of Oncology, Milan 20141, Italy.
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murgioni
authors.affiliation: Unit of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology and Neuroendocrine Tumours, European Institute of Oncology, Milan 20141, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Frezza
authors.affiliation: Unit of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology and Neuroendocrine Tumours, European Institute of Oncology, Milan 20141, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fazio
keywords: HIFU; abscopal effect; anaplastic pancreatic carcinoma; palliative treatment