Bone radiofrequency ablation combined with prophylactic internal fixation for metastatic bone tumor of the femur from hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

A 64-year-old man with 6-year history of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was referred to us regarding bone metastasis to the right proximal femur. Although he underwent radiotherapy for pain palliation and local tumor control, the pain persisted and the tumor relapsed 3 months after the radiotherapy and he was thought to be at high risk of pathologic fracture. Given hypervascularity and large tumor size, a prophylactic internal fixation combined with adjuvant radiofrequency ablation (RFA) was proposed to reduce blood loss and prevent viable tumor cells being disseminated. His postoperative course was uneventful without requiring blood transfusion and preoperative symptoms immediately disappeared after surgery. He became capable of weight-bearing walk with a single cane and was almost asymptomatic without local progression on the plain radiographs when he died 14 months after surgery. Combination therapy of RFA and internal fixation using intramedullary nailing for metastases of the long bones from HCC seems to be a very promising technique both for sufficient pain relief and for local control of the tumor. Adjuvant RFA may become a potential option for patients with metastases of the long bones for the purpose of prevention of tumor dissemination and reduction of intraoperative blood loss.