Objective:

The local recurrence is one of the main reasons of treatment failure for rectal carcinomas after radical resection. The present study aimed to investigate the feasibility

safety

and efficacy of CT-guided cryoablat

ion of local recurrence of rectal carcinomas after radical resection.

Methods:

From October 2013 to August 2016

a total of 31 patients were enrolled in this study

and a follow-up of 16-50 months was performed. Contrast-enhanced CT or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of pelvic was used during follow-up. The technical success rate

complications and managements

1-year local control rate and overall survival (OS) were recorded. Score of numerical rating scale (NRS) was adopted to assess the pain degree before and after cryoablation. The value of tumor biomarker of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was compared between pre-ablation and post-ablation.

Results:

The technical success rate was 100% and the main complication rate was 16.7%. The 1-year local control rate was 61.3%

time to progression-free of local lesion was (15.11.8) months

and overall survival was (17.92.3) months. NRS score of pre-ablation

3-day post-ablation and 12-month post-ablation was 4.32.4

1.41.2 and 4.52.7

respectively. NRS score had significant difference between pre-ablation and 3-day post-ablation (

P

=0.001)

and there was no significant difference between pre-ablation and12-month post-ablation (

P

=0.854). CEA of pre-ablation and 12-month post-ablation was (54.985.4) ng/mL and (67.282.7) ng/mL

without significant difference (

P

=0.558).

Conclusion:

CT-guided cryoablation as a new method for local recurrence of rectal carcinomas after radical resection is safe and feasible

has high rate of local control

and could relieve pain obviously in the short term. However

the overall survival benefits still need more randomized controlled trials.