Perspective of thermal ablation in colorectal cancer with liver metastases

Approximately 60% of colorectal cancer patients will develop liver metastases during their disease course, and surgery is commonly believed as the standard treatment for colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRLM). However, 80%- 90% CRLM patients are not candidates for surgical resection. Thermal ablation has been regarded as an alternative for treatment to unresectable solid tumors during the last decade. Radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation, laser-induced thermal therapy, and cryoablation have been most commonly administered for patients with unresectable CRLM. In this review, we will summarize the effcacy of thermal ablation on CRLM, including local tumor progression, cumulative survival, and complications. Additionally, further evaluation of thermal ablation in patients with liver metastases from gastrointestinal tumors will be discussed.