LIVERMET-IRE
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Treatment of LIVER METastases from colorectal cancer by IRreversible Electroporation: A prospective, international, multi-centre cohort study.
IRAS ID
359718
Contact name
Ajith Siriwardena
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Angiodynamics
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 2 days
Research summary
Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer related death globally and colorectal cancer typically metastasizes to the liver. Treatment options include systemic therapy such as chemotherapy and regional therapy such as surgery. However only a minority of patients will be suitable for surgery.
Ablation techniques have been developed for those patients who have a tumour or tumours that cannot be resected surgically or who are not fit enough to undergo a major operation. Multiple ablative techniques are available, irreversible electroporation (IRE) works by passing short intense electrical pulses between probes to destablise cell membranes leading to cell death. This is performed under general anaesthesia at the site of the liver tumour. IRE provides the benefit of avoiding the production of thermal energy that can important liver structures in close proximity to the tumour unlike other ablative techniques.Multiple safety and efficacy studies have been undertaken in IRE however the patient numbers remain small and hence the pathways into IRE are unclear. In addition, the proportion of tumours successfully eradicated by IRE is unclear. If IRE is to become an established treatment for colorectal liver metastases, its efficacy must be established.
Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of IRE for the treatment of liver metastases from colorectal cancer and to identify practical treatment pathways for this treatment. This will be the first, prospective, multi-centre evaluation of IRE in this setting.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/NW/0005
Date of REC Opinion
26 May 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion