Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a worldwide problem of epidemic proportions, best
treated in a multidisciplinary setting. Major advances have been made in all specialties
that manage patients with HCC, with surgical options at one end of the spectrum and
palliative chemotherapy on the other, and the vast majority of patients require the
involvement and expertise of interventional oncology. Several ablative and transarterial
technologies are currently available. Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a new
ablative technology that uses high-voltage, low-energy DC current to create nanopores
in the cell membrane, disrupting the homeostasis mechanism and inducing cell death
by initiating apoptosis. This article discusses the evolution of IRE as well as its
safety and efficacy in the context of other ablative therapies in the treatment of
hepatic malignancies.
Keywords
irreversible electroporation (IRE) - NanoKnife - hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ablation
- apoptosis