Chemoembolization with HepaSpheres in the treatment of recurrent pelvic tumors

Abstract

Transarterial chemoembolization of the main vessels feeding the tumor is a minimally invasive procedure, which is intended to block off the blood supply to the tumor and to deliver a cytotoxic agent to tumor cells. Initially, this method was used in emergency cases, but later it gained the trust of clinicians, who began to use it in non-emergency patients with clinical manifestations, when angiography showed well-supplied tumors inaccessible for ablation or surgical removal, including those in non-standard difficult cases. Selective catheterization of dominant arteries in recurrent tumors along with chemoembolization with drug-eluting microspheres is extremely challenging, since most of recurrent tumors have a well-developed neovascular network. HepaSphere microspheres, due to their hydrophilicity and high biological compatibility with tissues, allow the deposition of a chemotherapeutic agent in the tumor. This therapy provides pronounced hemostatic and antitumor effects confirmed by morphological and immunohistochemical examination. Currently, transarterial chemoembolization is mainly used for primary tumors and becomes increasingly popular as an element of combination therapy for patients with pelvic tumors. In this article, we analyze clinical data for 14 patients with recurrent pelvic tumors who underwent chemoembolization with HepaSpheres loaded with doxorubicin or irinotecan as a part of their palliative care.