Operative and scientific set-up to treat diffused and multi-focal metastases in the explanted liver. Preliminary indications from the first case

A new method has been developed for the therapy of human liver affected with multi-focal and diffused metastases. The therapeutic concept is based on the neutron irradiation of the explanted organ which, soon after such a treatment, is re-implanted according to the self-transplant procedure. Metastases are generally numerous and not completely detectable by the current diagnostic methodologies: so it is necessary to irradiate the whole organ in a thermal neutron field to treat all metastases and to minimize the recurrence probability. The irradiation position into the thermal column of the Triga Mark II reactor of University of Pavia was designed by means of neutron transport code MCNP. The neutron flux components in air at the irradiation position are shown. During the irradiation, to have a neutron flux inside the liver as flat as possible (in the longitudinal axis of the irradiation channel), we rotate the liver of an angle of 180 deg around the vertical axis. The irradiation of the liver is performed putting the organ inside a two teflon bags and than in another rigid teflon container equipped with two thermocouples to monitor the liver temperature. The first clinical trial consist in the treatment of a male 48 years old made on December 19th 2001. The self-graft procedure and the neutron therapy were performed at S. Matteo Polyclinic and inside the thermal column of Triga Mark II reactor of the University of Pavia respectively. The patient's liver contained more than 20 metastases following the removal of a colon-adenocarcinoma few months before. Six months after treatment all radiological and clinical checks indicated a positive and hopeful trend of the patient's condition