The Cardiovascular Learning Network recently featured Dr. Jordan Tasse in a conversation on their podcast. Check out the full conversation at the link here: https://www.hmpgloballearningnetwork.com/site/iolearning/podcasts/locoregional-therapies-treatment-advanced-fibrolamellar-hepatocellular
We encourage everyone in the FLC community to listen to this podcast featuring Dr. JordanTasse, Associate Professor and lead Interventional Radiologist for FLC at Rush University in Chicago. The interviewis about 20 minutes in length and answers many important questions regarding our approach and the benefits of using various Interventional Radiology therapies for treating our ultra-rare cancer.
Since the recording aired, another exciting experimental procedurehas been utilized by Dr. Tasse for several of our FLC patients called PEF ablation (Pulsed Electrical Field) PEF has been primarily used in the cardiac setting however this form of ablation is less evasive (safer and easier than IRE and should be used in conjunction with immunotherapy, drugs like Nivolumab, Pembrolizumab, and Atezolizumab. We will be studying the procedures effectiveness and if any abscopal effects occur (“abscopal” refers to ablation or radiation treatments—or another type of local therapy like PEF—shrink the targeted tumor and also contributes to shrinkage of untreated tumors elsewhere in the body). Overthe next six to twelve months, we should have an adequate number of patients who have completed the therapy(six thus far) allowing Dr. Tasse and our team to share an abstract and ultimately a published paper.
A key takeaway I hope our community appreciates is the synergies created when doctors internationally understand our cancer’s unique requirements and work to collaborate rather than withdrawing into their institutional silos. We are very hopeful the paradigm is shifting allowing for better communication and the opening of minds to new treatment ideas permitting all clinicians the ability to provide the absolute best care for all our Fibrolamellar patients.
On behalf of our FLC community I would like to send our deep appreciation to Dr. Tasse for participating in this podcast and to the amazing group of clinicians assembled over the past five years, Dr. Schadde, Dr. Hertl, Jessica Ellison, Dr. Arslan, the Pathology department, and the entire Rush support team! Of course, our Medical Director Dr. Paul Kent continues to show his passion and commitment to each FLC family he interacts with. Last and certainly not least the amazing team of doctors who have supported our Tumor Board and make key contributions in helping us develop plans for even the most difficult cases. We plan to publish an abstract shortly on the effectiveness of our tumor board.