Irreversible Electroporation in Clinical Practice

Martijn Meijerink, MD, PhD is an interventional radiologist with interventional oncology as special field of expertise at the VU University Medical Center (VUmc) in Amsterdam, affiliated with the Cancer Center Amsterdam (CCA) which houses one of the largest academic oncology centers in Europe. He is a renowned expert in the field of interventional oncology procedures, such as radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation, irreversible electroporation (nanoknife), transarterial bland embolization, chemo- and Y90 radioembolization. As chief of the research center for image-guided tumor ablation in Amsterdam he is continuously searching for ways to improve survival and quality of life of patients with cancer. Hester Scheffer, MD is a senior-researcher at the VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam and one of the key opinion leaders in the field of irreversible electroporation research. Having conducted extensive translational research she was the first to prove actual cell death in the clinical setting caused by irreversible electroporation. In the preclinical setting, she focuses on electrical field modeling and the thermal component of irreversible electroporation, whereas in the clinical setting she coordinates several large trials on the efficacy of hepatic and pancreatic irreversible electroporation and she is the author of the only issued systematic review on irreversible electroporation. Together with Dr. Meijerink she is the founder of a worldwide network for irreversible electroporation research in the field of interventional oncology.

Introduction: History of image-guided tumor ablation.- History of electroporation. Preclinical Research: Multi-scale biophysical principles in clinical irreversible electroporation.- Numerical modelling for prediction and evaluation of treatment outcome.- The effect of irreversible electroporation on blood vessels, bile ducts, urinary tract, intestines and nerves. Technique, tips and tricks: Anaesthetic management during irreversible electroporation procedure.- Complications and procedures to enhance safety.- Treatment planning, needle insertion, image-guidance, endpoint Assessment.- Thermal effects of irreversible electroporation.- Clinical practice: Irreversible electroporation of liver tumors .- Irreversible electroporation of pancreatic tumors.- Irreversible electroporation for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (Klatskin tumors).- Irreversible electroporation of kidney tumors.- Irreversible Electroporation of Prostate Tumors.- Irreversible electroporation of tumors within the pelvic cavity.- Irreversible Electroporation of Lung Tumors.- Future prospectives: From local to systemic treatment: leveraging antitumor immunity following irreversible electroporation.- Future perspectives of IRE.