title: Radio-frequency ablation-based studies on VX2rabbit models for HCC treatment.
abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most frequent cancer worldwide with high morbidity, mortality and increasing incidence. It is of note that the main curative therapies for HCC are hepatic resection and transplantation although the majority of patients at the time of presentation are not eligible for resection or orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) due to the underlying cirrhosis. Currently, a variety of loco-regional therapies, including radiofrequency ablation (RFA), percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI), microwave coagulation therapy (MCT), transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and others, have been developed as alternative treatment options for HCC. Among these techniques, RFA is currently the most widely used treatment, due to its several advantages, such as safety and efficacy. To date, the effectiveness of RFA for HCC is reduced by the presence of residual tumor as a consequence of insufficient treatment. In order to ameliorate the effects of RFA on HCC, several in vivo studies, have been performed on its application as single or in combination treatment with drugs or others loco-regional therapies, by using rabbit VX2 liver model. This represents an ideal model of liver cancers and is widely used for imaging and other experimental studies due to the rapid growth of these tumors and their similarity to human hepatocellular carcinoma. In order to elucidate the therapeutic potential of RFA with adjuvant treatments for HCC, we reviewed the latest findings on the RFA-based studies in rabbit VX2 hepatocarcinoma models.
authors.affiliation: Division of Abdominal Surgical Oncology, Hepatobiliary Unit, Istituto Nazionale per lo studio e la cura dei Tumori "Fondazione G. Pascale", - IRCCS, Via Mariano Semmola, 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bimonte
authors.affiliation: Division of Abdominal Surgical Oncology, Hepatobiliary Unit, Istituto Nazionale per lo studio e la cura dei Tumori "Fondazione G. Pascale", - IRCCS, Via Mariano Semmola, 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Maddalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leongito
authors.affiliation: Division of Abdominal Surgical Oncology, Hepatobiliary Unit, Istituto Nazionale per lo studio e la cura dei Tumori "Fondazione G. Pascale", - IRCCS, Via Mariano Semmola, 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piccirillo
authors.affiliation: I.O.S. & Coleman Srl, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Angelis
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Sezione di Endocrinologia, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pivonello
authors.affiliation: Division of Abdominal Surgical Oncology, Hepatobiliary Unit, Istituto Nazionale per lo studio e la cura dei Tumori "Fondazione G. Pascale", - IRCCS, Via Mariano Semmola, 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenza
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Granata
authors.affiliation: Division of Abdominal Surgical Oncology, Hepatobiliary Unit, Istituto Nazionale per lo studio e la cura dei Tumori "Fondazione G. Pascale", - IRCCS, Via Mariano Semmola, 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Izzo
keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma; RFA; Radiofrequency ablation; Residual tumor; Vx2 tumors