Laser thermal ablation of brain mets?

Forums General Melanoma Community Laser thermal ablation of brain mets?

  • Post
    JerryfromFauq
    Participant

      Does anyone have experience with laser thermal ablation of brain mets?   (or of any other mets?)
       

      http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01736722

        Purpose

      The Methodist Hospital Neurological Institute is conducting a clinical trial for patients suffering from Metastatic brain tumors. The objective for this study is to evaluate the safety and feasibility of a MRI-guided laser thermal therapy during a real-time MRI guidance for the treatment of brain metastasis.

      Patient will undergo laser therapy using the MRI scan to plan the treatment and ensure proper placement of the laser within the tumor. The tumor will then be heated by the laser and monitored by study physicians through the real-time MRI to see and control temperatures in the tissue. One in place, the thermal laser will then surgically remove the lesions. After the procedure, post treatment MR images will thenbe acquired for the determination of the effective treatment region.

       

      http://www.visualaseinc.com/…/woman-is-second-in-n…/

      http://www.visualaseinc.com/…/woman-is-second-in-n…/

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    • Replies
        JerryfromFauq
        Participant

          Particularly interested in laser ablation whether or not in this paticular trial mentioned.  Also has anyone had any of the other ablation treatments to a brain tumor and what has been heard about the rate of bleeding following the ablations, versus the Radiation treatments (SRS/Gamma knife) for brain tumors?

           

          JerryfromFauq
          Participant

            Particularly interested in laser ablation whether or not in this paticular trial mentioned.  Also has anyone had any of the other ablation treatments to a brain tumor and what has been heard about the rate of bleeding following the ablations, versus the Radiation treatments (SRS/Gamma knife) for brain tumors?

             

            JerryfromFauq
            Participant

              Particularly interested in laser ablation whether or not in this paticular trial mentioned.  Also has anyone had any of the other ablation treatments to a brain tumor and what has been heard about the rate of bleeding following the ablations, versus the Radiation treatments (SRS/Gamma knife) for brain tumors?

               

                POW
                Participant

                  Jerry, the links you provided are from promotional material published in 2008. At the time, the authors seemed to be saying that thermal ablation would be easier on the patient than is regular neurosurgery. Which is probably true. However, I suspect that lasers would carve a path through healthy brain tissue to get to the tumors. With SRS, on the other hand, each single radiation beam is so weak that it does no harm. It is only when the dozens of individual beams meet at the tumor that enough energy is generated to kill cells. My guess is that when such multi-beam technology is possible with lasers, the technique will become more popular. 

                  I know of one person who got laser ablation therapy to a melanoma tumor on her esophagus. It did kill the tumor tissue on the surface, but the killing effect only penetrated about 2 or 3 mm below the surface.

                  POW
                  Participant

                    Jerry, the links you provided are from promotional material published in 2008. At the time, the authors seemed to be saying that thermal ablation would be easier on the patient than is regular neurosurgery. Which is probably true. However, I suspect that lasers would carve a path through healthy brain tissue to get to the tumors. With SRS, on the other hand, each single radiation beam is so weak that it does no harm. It is only when the dozens of individual beams meet at the tumor that enough energy is generated to kill cells. My guess is that when such multi-beam technology is possible with lasers, the technique will become more popular. 

                    I know of one person who got laser ablation therapy to a melanoma tumor on her esophagus. It did kill the tumor tissue on the surface, but the killing effect only penetrated about 2 or 3 mm below the surface.

                    POW
                    Participant

                      Jerry, the links you provided are from promotional material published in 2008. At the time, the authors seemed to be saying that thermal ablation would be easier on the patient than is regular neurosurgery. Which is probably true. However, I suspect that lasers would carve a path through healthy brain tissue to get to the tumors. With SRS, on the other hand, each single radiation beam is so weak that it does no harm. It is only when the dozens of individual beams meet at the tumor that enough energy is generated to kill cells. My guess is that when such multi-beam technology is possible with lasers, the technique will become more popular. 

                      I know of one person who got laser ablation therapy to a melanoma tumor on her esophagus. It did kill the tumor tissue on the surface, but the killing effect only penetrated about 2 or 3 mm below the surface.

                      Brent Morris
                      Participant

                        Looking at the information the laser ablation is done with a laser probe introduced via an opening in the skull. It is not focusing a laser beam through the entire head. It may be more precise and actually produce less collateral damage than conventional surgery.The physics of radiation and lasers are very different.There is no way to focus multiple laser beams through the skull to converge on a site as one does with a beam of gamma rays.

                        Brent Morris
                        Participant

                          Looking at the information the laser ablation is done with a laser probe introduced via an opening in the skull. It is not focusing a laser beam through the entire head. It may be more precise and actually produce less collateral damage than conventional surgery.The physics of radiation and lasers are very different.There is no way to focus multiple laser beams through the skull to converge on a site as one does with a beam of gamma rays.

                          Brent Morris
                          Participant

                            Looking at the information the laser ablation is done with a laser probe introduced via an opening in the skull. It is not focusing a laser beam through the entire head. It may be more precise and actually produce less collateral damage than conventional surgery.The physics of radiation and lasers are very different.There is no way to focus multiple laser beams through the skull to converge on a site as one does with a beam of gamma rays.

                            JerryfromFauq
                            Participant

                              OOPS:     http://optics.org/news/4/4/3    This was supposed to have been the 3 rd reference from Nov 2013.

                              The trial is ongoing now under direction of NIH.   I have found that there is about a 1/2 doeen locations in the world now doing the lazer ablations.  

                                  The persson tht asked me to get information for them is hoping to actually get a response from someone either in a trial or that has under went the lazer ablation procedure.

                              JerryfromFauq
                              Participant

                                OOPS:     http://optics.org/news/4/4/3    This was supposed to have been the 3 rd reference from Nov 2013.

                                The trial is ongoing now under direction of NIH.   I have found that there is about a 1/2 doeen locations in the world now doing the lazer ablations.  

                                    The persson tht asked me to get information for them is hoping to actually get a response from someone either in a trial or that has under went the lazer ablation procedure.

                                JerryfromFauq
                                Participant

                                  OOPS:     http://optics.org/news/4/4/3    This was supposed to have been the 3 rd reference from Nov 2013.

                                  The trial is ongoing now under direction of NIH.   I have found that there is about a 1/2 doeen locations in the world now doing the lazer ablations.  

                                      The persson tht asked me to get information for them is hoping to actually get a response from someone either in a trial or that has under went the lazer ablation procedure.

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