BOREALIS: Demonstrating the added value of interventional oncology in patient care

January 5, 2024

CIRSE’s new research project, BOREALIS, the BOne metastases REgistry for patients undergoing percutaneous cryoAbLation with curatIve purpoSe, hopes to provide evidence in terms of local tumour control in a population of patients with bone metastases undergoing cryoablation with “curative intent”. CIRSE hopes to showcase the versatility of interventional oncology by providing evidence supporting a comprehensive treatment protocol that includes biopsy, cryoablation and bone consolidation for fracture prevention within the same interventional session.

This feasibility study will enrol up to 50 patients. Inclusion of first patients is envisioned for late 2024.

As for previous studies scientifically sponsored by CIRSE, clinical project management is delegated to CIRSE’s contract research organization, Next Research.

The initiator of the project is Dr. Roberto Luigi Cazzato (University Hospital of Strasbourg, France), who will be acting as coordinating investigator and will chair the BOREALIS steering committee to provide scientific guidance during the course of the study.

Dr. Roberto Luigi Cazzato, pictured here at CIRSE 2023, is the initiator of BOREALIS.

Next Research is CIRSE’s contract research organization.

CIRSE: Can you tell us a bit more about this exciting new project?

Cazzato: BOREALIS is a single-arm prospective multi-centre observational study that will collect real-world data on the feasibility, effectiveness and safety of cryoablation with curative intent for the treatment of bone metastases. The target population is patients with oligometastatic or bone oligo-progressing disease and one objective of the study is to understand the effectiveness of cryoablation in preventing local tumour progression.

CIRSE: What motivated you to initiate BOREALIS?

Cazzato: With this project, I wish to raise awareness that 1) cryoablation can be used for the treatment of bone metastases not only as palliative care but also with curative intent; and 2) cryoablation can be performed together with biopsy and bone consolidation during the same interventional session.

CIRSE: How do you expect the results from BOREALIS to benefit the IR community?

Cazzato: By collecting data from centres with a solid and long-standing experience in the field, BOREALIS will provide valuable insights on the actual potential of cryoablation in the curative setting. These results could inform decision-making processes of tumour boards and promote local ablation as a first-line treatment for bone metastases.

To learn more about the project, please reach out to [email protected]