Case ReportCase report: Irreversible electroporation for locally advanced pancreatic cancer

- Locally advanced pancreas cancer (LAPC) has minimal options for local control.
- Irreversible electroporation (IRE) can potentially improve local control for LAPC.
- We present a case of IRE with literature review and risks and benefits of IRE.
- Future studies are needed to clarify which patients may benefit most from IRE.

IntroductionFor patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma who are not candidates for surgical resection, long-term survival is poor, even with currently available systemic and radiation therapy options. However, for those with locally advanced disease who do not have distant metastasis, locoregional control of the tumor has the potential to improve long-term outcomes. A newly developed technology, irreversible electroporation, has advantages over traditional thermal ablation with unresectable cancers in this location.Presentation of caseIn our case report, we describe the first patient treated with irreversible electroporation at our institution for locally advanced pancreatic cancer. The patient is a 63-year-old man who had a partial response to standard chemotherapy and radiation, but was found on operative assessment to have persistently unresectable disease. He therefore underwent irreversible electroporation to the pancreatic mass. His postoperative course was complicated by delayed gastric emptying and wound infection. Three months after surgery, he had no evidence of distant or recurrent disease.DiscussionIrreversible electroporation for locally advanced pancreatic cancer is an emerging technique which attempts to improve local control of locally advanced, non-metastatic pancreatic cancer. Early data have demonstrated the potential for improved long-term survival in these patients, although further studies are needed to confirm safety and efficacy of this technique.ConclusionWhile there is a positive outlook for the use of irreversible electroporation for locally advanced pancreas cancer, there remain some uncertainties surrounding this therapy, which underscores the importance of future research in this area.