Transcatheter Arterial Chemotherapy Research Articles

Living-related liver transplantation for multiple liver metastases from rectal carcinoid tumor: A case report

A 42-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of multiple liver tumors detected by ultrasonography. Colonoscopy revealed submucosal tumor in the rectum, which was considered the primary lesion. Endoscopic mucosal resection followed by histopathological examination revealed that the tumor was carcinoid. The resected margin of the tumor was positive for malignant cells. Two courses to transcatheter arterial chemotherapy for liver metastasis were ineffective. Accordingly, the rectal tumor and metastatic lymph nodes were surgically resected. One month after the operation, she received liver transplantation (left lateral segment and caudate lobe) from her son. No recurrent lesion has been observed at two years after the liver transplantation. Liver transplantation should be considered as a treatment option even in advanced case of carcinoid metastasis to the liver. We also discuss the literature on liver transplantation for metastatic carcinoid tumor.

A case of allergic contact dermatitis from propylene glycol in an ultrasonic gel, sensitized at a leakage skin injury due to transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma

A 63-year-old man with hepatocellular carcinoma consequent to chronic viral hepatitis C presented with severe dermatitis on the lower right side of the back after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) via the 10th intercostal artery, because his hepatic artery had already collapsed due to repeated usage for TACE. The regional skin showed redness and hardness with pustules. Histologically, there was epidermal and appendage necrosis, as well as exocytosis of red blood cells. With a diagnosis of skin injury due to leakage of lipiodol ultrafluid, mitomycin, and epirubicin, administered via the 10th intercostal artery, onto the skin tissue, topical application of 0.06% fluocinonide-containing cream was prescribed. After several weeks of conservative local treatment, the leakage skin injury improved significantly, leaving pigmentation, hardness, and a small necrotic mass, as reported elsewhere (Honda T, Matsushima S, Fujii S, et al. A case of skin injury following transcatheter arterial chemotherapy through intercostal artery for hepatocellular carcinoma. Skin Res 2003; 2: 18-22). Subsequently, the patient again consulted the Dermatology Department with further dermatitis in an almost identical skin region on the right side of the abdomen (irregularly spreading erythematous and edematous eruptions with itching; Fig. 1). As he had undergone an ultrasonic examination 2 days earlier, allergic contact dermatitis from the ultrasonic gel was suspected. The contact dermatitis was treated with a topical corticosteroid hormone-containing ointment. Patch testing was performed with Ultra Phonic Conductivity Gel (Pharmaceutical Innovations Inc., Newark, NJ, USA), with which the patient had undergone a series of ultrasonic examinations, and Sono Jelly (Toshiba Medical Supply Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) as a reference, as well as white petroleum as a negative control. A positive result was obtained for Ultra Phonic Conductivity Gel, whereas Sono Jelly was negative (Fig. 2a). Pharmaceutical Innovations Inc. kindly supplied the ingredients of the gel: propylene glycol (PG), preservative in PG, color in PG, thickener 1, and thickener 2. The company gave no further details about the preservative, color, and thickeners. Patch testing was performed using these five materials, resulting in a positive reaction for PG, preservative in PG, and color in PG. Thickeners 1 and 2 and lipiodol ultrafluid were negative (Fig. 2b). On the assumption that the causative chemical was PG, commercially obtained PG, free of preservative and color, was then patch tested (original, 10% aqueous, 1% aqueous, and 0.1% aqueous solutions), resulting in original strongly positive, 10% positive, and 1% and 0.1% weakly positive (Fig. 2c). The medical records showed that the patient had received 16 ultrasonic examinations with the same ultrasonic gel before the leakage skin injury. The 17th examination was performed 2 days after leakage dermatitis, and the 18th 3 months after the injury, when contact dermatitis occurred. The 19th examination was performed using Sono Jelly, which contains no PG, and no skin problems were observed.

Transcatheter Arterial Chemotherapy with and without Embolization in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Objective: This study compared the antitumor effect, adverse effects and survival between transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) and transcatheter arterial infusion chemotherapy (TAI) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: The study population consisted of 168 consecutive patients with advanced HCC treated with transcatheter arterial treatments using cisplatin suspended in lipiodol. Among these, 74 patients were treated with TAE, and the remaining 94 patients were treated with TAI. Results: There were no significant differences in any baseline characteristics except hemoglobin, platelets, albumin, and glutamic pyruvic transaminase. Complete or partial tumor response was achieved in 54 patients (73%) in the TAE group and in 48 patients (51%) in the TAI group (p < 0.01). There were two treatment-related deaths caused by acute hepatic failure and acute renal failure in the TAE group. Nausea and deterioration of serum transaminase after TAE were significantly more severe than after TAI. Median survival time and survival rates at 5 years were 3.1 years and 25% in the TAE group, and 2.5 years and 18% in the TAI group (p = 0.37). Conclusion: TAE has a higher antitumor effect than TAI, but does not significantly improve the survival of patients with HCC.

A Case of Skin Injury Following Transcatheter Arterial Chemotherapy through Intercostal Artery for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

A Case of Skin Injury Following Transcatheter Arterial Chemotherapy through Intercostal Artery for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma associated with Child class B and C cirrhosis in relation to treatment: a multivariate analysis of 411 patients at a single center.

Given that the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) complicating severe cirrhosis remains uncertain, particularly with regard to various therapeutic strategies, we have evaluated the prognosis in a series of patients with homogeneous diagnostic and therapeutic histories. From 1990 to 1998, 411 consecutive HCC patients associated with Child class B and class C cirrhosis who did not have lymph node or distant metastasis were treated by partial hepatectomy (PH; n = 48), percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI; n = 105), transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE; n = 189), chemotherapy, or supportive care (chemo/supportive; n = 69). Univariate survival curves were estimated. The Cox model, stratified by the treatment groups, was used for multivariate analysis. As of January 1999, 305 patients (74.2%) had died. Overall median survival was 23.4 months. There were statistically significant differences between the survival times of patients receiving PH or PEI and TACE, as compared with those receiving chemo/supportive care. According to multivariate analysis, the independent predictive survival factors were: albumin level (> or = 3.0 g/dl), esophageal varices (i.e., absence), tumor size (< or = 3.0 cm), tumor number (solitary), and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level (<400 ng/ml). According to the total number of risk factors and the median survival, all patients were divided into four subgroups. For the score 0 group (no risk factor group), 3- and 5-year survival rates were 83.1% and 68.0% for PH, and 87.5% and 62.3% for PEI, respectively. In the score 1-2 group (one or two risk factors), survival rates at 3 and 5 years were 53.1% and 40.3% for PH, 54.8% and 33.2% for PEI, and 35.4% and 22.8% for TACE, respectively. For patients with a score of 3 or more, there were no differences among the treatment groups, excluding those with chemo/supportive care. These findings indicate that, in HCC patients with complicating Child B and C cirrhosis, PEI and PH should be considered first for subgroups of patients with scores (risk factors) of 0-2, as an acceptable survival rate was obtained in such patients. Therefore, the advantages and disadvantages of these therapies regarding tumor size and location should be counterbalanced. In patients with a score of 3 or more, TACE, when possible, could be a first choice because of its applicability and its adjuvant nature with respect to other therapies such as liver transplantation.

TREATMENTS AND THEIR OUTCOMES FOR RECURRENCE OF THORACIC ESOPHAGEAL CARCINOMA AFTER CURATIVE RESECTION

In this study, clinical outcomes of treatments for recurrence of throacic esophageal carcinoma after curative resection were analyzed. Fifty six out of 120 patients, who received curative resection for squamous cell carcinoma of thoracic esophagus between March 1983 and December 1995, experienced a recurrence. These 56 cases were subjected to the study. The sites of recurrence were cervical lymph noden (8 cases), upper mediastinal region (25 cases), a distant organ (16 cases) and others. One-and 2-year recurrence rates were 54% and 86% respectively. The median disease-free survilal period was 11 monhs and median survival period after recurrence was 6 months. The incidence of cervical lymph node recurrence of patients with postoperative irradiation of the T-fields was significantly lower than those without radiation therapy (p<0.05). Patients with cervical lymph node dissection for cervical recurrence and patients with irradiation for upper mediastinal recurrence had relatively good prognosis. Although patients with distant organ metastasis had poor prognosis, active therapies such as transcatheter arterial chemotherapy for liver metastasis or resection of brain metastasis brought some better prognosis. To improve the prognosis of patients with recurred esophageal cancer after curative surgery, not only early diagnosis of recurrence but also vigorous treatment appropriate for the recurred site it would be mandatory.

Treatment for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Transarterial Chemotherapy Using Reservoirs or One-Shot Arterial Chemotherapy

A prospective trial was performed in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma to assess the therapeutic efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemotherapy using implanted reservoirs (12 patients) or conventional transcatheter arterial chemotherapy (8 patients). Epirubicin at a dose of 40 mg/m2 was given every month in the former, while epirubicin at a dose of 60 mg/m2 was administered every 3 months in the latter. During the 6 months from the introduction of these therapies, hospitalized periods were shorter and total hospital costs were less in the reservoir group than in the conventional chemotherapy group (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). Transcatheter arterial chemotherapy using implanted reservoirs can be carried out on a day-care basis and may be beneficial for the treatment of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Clinical significance of removal of tumor thrombi in the main portal vein in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Twenty-two patients with portal vein tumor thrombi secondary to hepatocellular carcinoma were studied to evaluate the effectiveness of diagnostic and treatment procedures. B-mode ultrasonography is a simple and accurate means for the detection of tumor thrombus in the portal vein. All of the 22 patients were correctly diagnosed by this method, which should be used as the initial screening procedure in such patients. Fourteen of the 22 patients underwent surgical procedures, including embolectomy from the portal trunk; removal of the tumor thrombi combined with hepatectomy or through the rechanneled umbilical vein; and operative transcatheter arterial chemotherapy. The other 8 patients were treated by transcatheter arterial embolization or were not treated. The surgical treatment effectively prevented acute variceal bleeding in the patients who underwent the procedures successfully. The mean value of the portal venous pressure was reduced from 46 cmH2O to 32 cmH2O after the surgery. As a result of the effective portal decompression, the patients in the surgical group had a better prognosis and longer mean survival than the others. Our study suggests that portal vein tumor thrombus is not an absolute contraindication for surgery, and that accurate detection and prompt treatment are the keys to the achievement of better clinical results.

Intraarterielle Chemotherapie bei lokal fortgeschrittenen Mammakarzinomen

Transcatheter arterial chemotherapy with mitoxantrone was carried out in 9 patients suffering from advanced breast cancer. The anticancer agent was selectively injected in the internal mammary artery. In 2 cases the catheter was super-selectively advanced into a peripheral branch of the internal mammary artery supplying the breast carcinoma. No complication of the transcatheter treatment could be observed. CT examinations for controlling the catheter position showed perfusion of breast cancers between 40 and 90 per cent. Histological examinations of the 7 resected specimens revealed extensive necrosis in all cases. All 7 patients who underwent surgery have been without local recurrence for 3 to 12 months after treatment.

Transcatheter Arterial Chemotherapy Using Doxorubicin, Iodized Oil and Gelfoam Embolization in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Computed tomography (CT) was performed in 54 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma three weeks after transcatheter arterial chemotherapy using iodized oil and doxorubicin with or without gelfoam embolization. Patients with iodized oil retention in the tumor greater than 50 per cent of tumor size survived longer than patients with retention of less than 50 per cent. Differences were also found within Okuda stages I and II, but they were significant only in Okuda stage I (p less than 0.0001). These results suggest a possible relationship between iodized oil retention and survival. In addition to Okuda stage, several factors affected iodized oil retention: tumor vascularity, tumor size, portal thrombosis and Gelfoam embolization. These factors may thus influence the prognosis after transcatheter arterial chemotherapy.

Transcatheter Arterial Chemotherapy using Doxorubicin, Iodized Oil and Gelfoam Embolization in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Transcatheter Arterial Chemotherapy using Doxorubicin, Iodized Oil and Gelfoam Embolization in Hepatocellular Carcinoma