Yttrium-90 Radioembolization In Patients Research Articles

Radiation Major Hepatectomy Using Ablative Dose Yttrium-90 Radioembolization in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma 5 cm or Larger

PurposeTo evaluate the safety and effectiveness of ablative radioembolization for large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) while preserving a small future liver remnant (FLR). Materials and MethodsTwenty-five patients with large HCC of ≥5 cm requiring treatment for >60% of the total liver volume and having well-preserved liver function were treated with ablative glass microsphere radioembolization at a single institution from January 2017 to December 2021. Radioembolization was performed with a mean absorbed dose of >150 Gy, and the FLR per nontumor liver volume (NTLV) was set at >30%. Changes in liver function, adverse events, duration of response (DoR) in a treated area, time-to-progression (TTP), and overall survival (OS) were retrospectively investigated. ResultsThe largest tumor diameter and planned dose per treated volume were 11.4 cm ± 3.9 and 242.3 Gy ± 63.6 (169.4 Gy ± 45.9 per whole liver volume), respectively. All patients remained at Child–Pugh Class A for 90 days. No patient experienced Grade 3‒4 hyperbilirubinemia or new ascites. One patient (lung dose, 27.8 Gy) developed radiation pneumonitis requiring transient steroid treatment. According to the posttreatment dosimetry, the tumorous and nontumorous liver absorbed doses were 418.8 Gy ± 227.4 and 69.0 Gy ± 32.1, respectively. The median DoR in a treated area and TTP were 22.0 and 17.1 months, respectively. The 5-year OS rate was 83.2%. ConclusionsAblative radioembolization of large HCC of ≥5 cm can be performed safely and effectively in patients with preserved liver function when FLR/NTLV exceeds 30%.

Hepatic Abscess following Yttrium-90 Radioembolization in Patients with Surgical Bilioenteric Anastomosis or Compromised Sphincter of Oddi: A Tertiary Cancer Center Experience.

Purpose: We describe our experience with the development of hepatobiliary infection in patients with prior surgical, percutaneous, or endoscopic biliary interventions who are receiving transarterial radioembolization (TARE) with yttrium-90 (90Y) for primary or metastatic hepatobiliary lesions. Methods: Records of 15 patients with a history of prior biliary intervention and liver malignancy subsequently treated with TARE at the participating medical center from November 2009 to September 2015 were reviewed. The primary endpoint was the development of a hepatic abscess or cholangitis in a patient after radioembolization. Results: A total of 15 patients comprising 9 men and 6 women, with a median age of 49 years (range 30–73), underwent 17 TARE with 90Y procedures. Of the 15 patients, 2 (13.3%) of them developed a hepatobiliary infection. A single patient (6.6%) developed a hepatobiliary abscess. Conclusion: Our study shows a low incidence rate of hepatic abscess following TARE in patients with prior biliary intervention.

Efficacy and Safety of Trans-Arterial Yttrium-90 Radioembolization in Patients with Unresectable Liver-Dominant Metastatic or Primary Hepatic Soft Tissue Sarcomas.

Simple SummarySarcomas of the liver are a rare and aggressive group of malignancies for which surgery is the preferred treatment modality even though most patients are not surgical candidates and receive chemotherapy with poor outcomes. In these cases, trans-arterial liver-directed therapies are emerging as a new treatment option. Among these, radioembolization is a promising but understudied treatment option. In radioembolization, microbeads conjugated to a radioactive drug are injected into the blood vessels, nourishing the cancers and leading to cell death and tumor shrinkage. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed 35 patients with liver sarcomas receiving radioembolization at our institution. We found that those with disease control in the liver 6 months after the procedure had longer overall survival as well as patients with a liver progression-free interval post-procedure equal to or greater than 9 months. Patients with good performance status and normal liver function at baseline also had longer survival. The most common adverse reactions were nausea, fatigue, abdominal pain, and mild reversible abnormalities in liver function tests. Overall, our results suggest that radioembolization might be a safe and effective treatment option for patients with unresectable liver sarcomas.Patients with liver-dominant metastatic or primary hepatic soft tissue sarcomas (STS) have poor prognosis. Surgery can prolong survival, but most patients are not surgical candidates, and treatment response is limited with systemic chemotherapy. Liver-directed therapies have been increasingly employed in this setting, and Yttrium-90 trans-arterial radioembolization (TARE) is an understudied yet promising treatment option. This is a retrospective analysis of 35 patients with metastatic or primary hepatic STS who underwent TARE at a single institution between 2006 and 2020. The primary outcomes that were measured were overall survival (OS), liver progression-free survival (LPFS), and radiologic tumor response. Clinical and biochemical toxicities were assessed 3 months after the procedure. Median OS was 20 months (95% CI: 13.9–26.1 months), while median LPFS was 9 months (95% CI: 6.2–11.8 months). The objective response rate was 56.7%, and the disease control rate was 80.0% by mRECIST at 3 months. The following correlated with better OS post-TARE: liver disease control (DC) at 6 months (median OS: 40 vs. 17 months, p = 0.007); LPFS ≥ 9 months (median OS: 50 vs. 8 months, p < 0.0001); ECOG status 0–1 vs. 2 (median OS: 22 vs. 6 months, p = 0.042); CTP class A vs. B (median OS: 22 vs. 6 months, p = 0.018); and TACE post-progression (median OS: 99 vs. 16 months, p = 0.003). The absence of metastases at diagnosis was correlated with higher median LPFS (7 vs. 1 months, p = 0.036). Two grade 4 (5.7%) and ten grade 3 (28.6%) laboratory toxicities were identified at 3 months. There was one case of radioembolization-induced liver disease and two cases of radiation-induced peptic ulcer disease. We concluded that TARE could be an effective and safe treatment option for patients with metastatic or primary hepatic STS with good tumor response rates, low incidence of severe toxicity, and longer survival in patients with liver disease control post-TARE.

Experience of Yttrium-90 radioembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Experience of Yttrium-90 radioembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Outcomes of Yttrium-90 Radioembolization for Unresectable Combined Biphenotypic Hepatocellular-Cholangiocarcinoma

PurposeTo evaluate outcomes of yttrium-90 radioembolization in patients with combined biphenotypic hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CC). Materials and MethodsA retrospective review of patients with biopsy-confirmed cHCC-CC treated with yttrium-90 radioembolization between 2012 and 2018 was performed. Twenty-two patients with cHCC-CC (mean age 65.6 y, 17 men, 5 women) underwent 29 radioembolization treatments (5 resin, 24 glass microspheres). Survival data were available in 21 patients, and hepatic imaging response data were available in 20 patients. Hepatic imaging response to radioembolization was assessed on follow-up CT or MR imaging using modified Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumours criteria. Univariate stepwise Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between demographic and clinical factors and survival. Logistic regression evaluated associations between clinical factors and response to treatment, overall response, and disease control. ResultsHepatic imaging response was as follows: 15% complete response, 40% partial response, 10% stable disease, and 35% progressive disease (55% response rate, 65% disease control rate). Two patients were downstaged or bridged to transplant, and 1 patient was downstaged to resection. Median overall survival was 9.3 mo (range, 2.5–31.0 mo) from time of radioembolization. Nonreponse to treatment, bilobar disease, presence of multiple tumors, and elevated carbohydrate antigen 19-9 before treatment were associated with reduced survival after radioembolization. ConclusionsRadioembolization is a viable option for locoregional control of cHCC-CC with good response and disease control rates.

Y90 Radioembolization Significantly Prolongs Time to Progression Compared With Chemoembolization in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Conventional transarterial chemoembolization (cTACE) is used to treat patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Radioembolization is a minimally invasive procedure that involves implantation of radioactive micron-sized particles loaded with yttrium-90 (Y90) inside the blood vessels that supply a tumor. We performed a randomized, phase 2 study to compare the effects of cTACE and Y90 radioembolization in patients with HCC. From October 2009 through October 2015, we reviewed patients with HCC of all Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stages for eligibility. Of these, 179 patients with BCLC stages A or B met our enrollment criteria and were candidates for cTACE or Y90 therapy. Patients were assigned randomly to groups that received Y90 therapy (n= 24; 50% Child-Pugh A) or cTACE (n= 21; 71% Child-Pugh A). The primary outcome was time to progression (TTP), evaluated by intention-to-treat analysis. Secondary outcomes included safety, rate of response (based on tumor size and necrosis criteria), and Kaplan-Meier survival time. We performed inverse probability of censoring weighting and competing risk analyses. Patients in the Y90 radioembolization group had significant longer median TTP (>26 mo) than patients in the cTACE group (6.8 mo; P= .0012) (hazard ratio, 0.122; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.027-0.557; P= .007). This was confirmed by competing risk and inverse probability of censoring weighting analyses accounting for transplantation or death. A significantly greater proportion of patients in the cTACE group developed diarrhea (21%) than in the Y90 group (0%; P= .031) or hypoalbuminemia (58% in the cTACE group vs 4% in the Y90 group; P < .001). Similar proportions of patients in each group had a response to therapy, marked by necrosis (74% in the cTACE group vs 87% in the Y90 group) (P= .433). The median survival time, censored to liver transplantation, was 17.7 months for the cTACE group (95% CI, 8.3-not calculable) vs 18.6 months for the Y90 group (95% CI, 7.4-32.5) (P= .99). In a randomized phase 2 study of patients with HCC of BCLC stages A or B, we found Y90 radioembolization to provide significantly longer TTP than cTACE. Y90 radioembolization provides better tumor control and could reduce drop-out from transplant waitlists. ClinicalTrials.gov no. NCT00956930.

Radioembolization as a Treatment Strategy for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer to the Liver: What Can We Learn from the SIRFLOX Trial?

In the setting of liver metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC), radioembolization with yttrium-90 has been used to treat chemotherapy refractory disease with a growing interest to establish its efficacy in prospective trials combined with first- and second-line chemotherapy. SIRFLOX is an ongoing, multi-center, phase 3 randomized trial comparing first-line chemotherapy alone or in combination with yttrium-90 radioembolization in patients with CRC who have isolated liver metastases or liver-dominant metastases. Preliminary results from SIRFLOX demonstrate that radioembolization combined with first-line chemotherapy is safe and feasible. There was no significant difference in median overall progression-free survival (PFS) between the combined radioembolization-chemotherapy and chemotherapy-only arms (10.7 versus 10.2months). Although the trial did not meet its primary endpoint of improved median PFS, there was a significant increase in the median hepatic PFS (20.5 versus 12.6months; p = 0.02) favoring the combination arm. Thus, combining radioembolization with chemotherapy in the first-line setting may be most effective for liver-limited metastatic CRC. Since radioembolization targets liver disease, it is plausible that the trial failed to achieve an improvement in PFS given that 40% of the SIRFLOX population had extra-hepatic disease. It is also possible that the overall median PFS may be a poor surrogate endpoint, and other endpoints like overall survival still needs to be delineated in this setting. In addition, it is crucial to document improvement or delay in time to deterioration in quality of life symptom endpoints in this population. SIRFLOX is the first of three prospective studies that assess the efficacy of adding radioembolization to first-line chemotherapy, and the combined data from these trials will provide the necessary power for an overall survival analysis. The final results of SIRFLOX will be eagerly awaited to determine if the increased hepatic PFS in preliminary data will translate to increased overall survival benefit.

3:45 PMAbstract No. 143 - Aborted yttrium-90 radioembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after mapping hepatic arteriography and lung shunt study

3:45 PMAbstract No. 143 - Aborted yttrium-90 radioembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after mapping hepatic arteriography and lung shunt study

Radiographic Outcomes of Yttrium-90 Radioembolization in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Radiographic Outcomes of Yttrium-90 Radioembolization in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Survival trends in chemorefractory unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and the effect of yttrium-90 (Y90) radioembolization: SEER versus tertiary cancer center.

342 Background: Survival in patients with chemorefractory unresectable ICC treated with Y90 radioembolization vs. best supportive care has not been investigated in large-scale population studies. Methods: Under IRB approval, our institute’s cancer registry was queried for Y90-treated patients with chemorefractory unresectable ICC diagnosed from Jan 2002 to Nov 2011. Eighteen registries of U.S. Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database were queried for patients with advanced ICC not amenable to surgery/radiation diagnosed in the same period. Baseline characteristics, median overall survival (OS) from ICC diagnosis and median OS from first Y90 were stratified by national/state cohorts. Survival analysis and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using Kaplan-Meier estimation. Results: A total of 24 patients who received Y90 therapy for chemorefractory unresectable ICC (Group A) and 2757 patients with unresectable ICC who received neither radiation nor cancer-directed surgery (Group B) were included. Both groups were similar for mean age at diagnosis, gender, race, bilobar disease, portal vein thrombosis and mean largest tumor size (p&gt;0.05). Median OS from ICC diagnosis was 20.8 months (Group A; 95% CI, 11.2-30.5) and 3.0 months (Group B; 95% CI, 2.7-3.3), p&lt;0.001. Median OS from first Y90 was 11.5 months (Group A; 95% CI, 4.8-18.2). Interval survival rates from ICC diagnosis for Group A vs. B were: 100% vs. 77% (1 month), 100% vs. 63% (3 months), 92% vs. 30% (6 months), 67% vs. 17% (1 year), 42% vs. 6% (2 years), and 17% vs. 3% (3 years). Conclusions: Y90 radioembolization in patients with chemorefractory unresectable ICC demonstrated significantly greater median OS and favorable long-term survival rates compared to best supportive care. [Table: see text]

Yttrium-90 Radioembolization in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Who have Previously Received Sorafenib

Purpose: Yttrium-90 radioembolization (RE) is a locoregional therapy option for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Sorafenib is a multikinase inhibitor used in HCC that can potentially affect the efficacy of RE by altering tumor vascularity or suppressing post-irradiation angiogenesis. The safety and efficacy of sorafenib followed by RE has not been previously reported.Materials and Methods: Patients with HCC who received RE after sorafenib were included in this retrospective review. Overall survival, toxicity, and maximal radiographic response and necrosis criteria were examined.Results: Ten patients (15 RE administrations) fit the inclusion criteria. All were Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage C. Median follow-up was 16.5 weeks. Median overall survival and radiographic progression-free survival were 30 and 28 weeks, respectively. Significant differences in overall survival were seen based on Child-Pugh class (p = 0.002) and radiographic response (p = 0.009). Three patients had partial response, six had stable disease, and one had progressive disease. Grade 1 or 2 acute fatigue, anorexia, and abdominal pain were common. Three patients had Grade 3 ascites in the setting of disease progression. Two patients had Grade 3 biochemical toxicity. One patient was sufficiently downstaged following RE and sorafenib to receive a partial hepatectomy.Conclusion: Yttrium-90 RE in patients with HCC who have received sorafenib demonstrate acceptable toxicity and rates of radiographic response. However, the overall survival is lower than that reported in the literature on RE alone or sorafenib alone. This may be due in part to more patients in this study having advanced disease compared to these other study populations. Larger prospective studies are needed to determine whether the combination of RE and sorafenib is superior to either therapy alone.

Abstract No. 204: Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging for early tumor response assessment after Yttrium-90 radioembolization in patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases

Treatment induced molecular and cellular changes may be an early predictor of response to therapy. In this study we assessed whether early change in apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of target lesions was related to response based on RECIST in patients treated with radioembolization.

Comparative Analysis of the Safety and Efficacy of Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization and Yttrium-90 Radioembolization in Patients with Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Purpose To compare retrospectively the safety and efficacy of yttrium-90 ( 90Y) radioembolization with the safety and efficacy of chemoembolization in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and Methods Survival and complication rates were evaluated for patients with HCC who underwent chemoembolization or radioembolization at a single institution between August 2007 and April 2010. Complications were graded according to a standardized grading system for embolization procedures. Survival was determined via the Kaplan-Meier method, and multivariable analysis for factors affecting survival was performed. Results This study included 73 patients with HCC who underwent index embolization with radioembolization (n = 38; 52.1%) or chemoembolization (n = 35; 47.9%). The two patient populations were similar in terms of demographics, etiology of cirrhosis, functional status, tumor characteristics, Child-Pugh class, previous liver-directed therapy, and number of patients with bilirubin > 2.0 mg/dL. There was no significant difference in survival between the radioembolization (median 8.0 months) and chemoembolization (median 10.3 months) cohorts ( P = .33). Postembolization syndrome was significantly more severe in patients who underwent chemoembolization, which led to increased total hospitalization rates in these patients. The rates of other complications and rehospitalization were similar between groups. Increased age, Child-Pugh class B, hepatitis seropositivity, bilobar tumor distribution, tumor vascular invasion, and presence of extrahepatic metastases were associated with reduced patient survival. Conclusions Patients treated with radioembolization did not show a survival advantage over patients treated with chemoembolization. However, patients who underwent chemoembolization had significantly higher rates of hospitalization as a result of postembolization syndrome.

Transarterial Hepatic Yttrium-90 Radioembolization in Patients with Unresectable Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: Factors Associated with Prolonged Survival

In unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), systemic chemotherapy often is viewed as the only option, although efficacy is limited. Radioembolization (RE) using yttrium-90 ((90)Y) microspheres is an accepted therapy for patients with hepatocellular-carcinoma or metastatic liver tumors. However, there are limited data on the value of RE in patients with ICC and few data on factors influencing prognosis. The purpose of our retrospective analysis was to establish which factors influenced time-to-progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS). Patients with unresectable ICC were treated with (90)Y resin-microspheres and assessed at 3-monthly intervals. Radiologic response was evaluated by using Response Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST). Baseline characteristics, biochemical/clinical toxicities, and response were examined for impact on TTP and OS. Thirty-four treatments were administered to 33 patients without major complications. By RECIST, 12 patients had a partial response, 17 had stable disease, and 5 had progressive disease after 3months. The median OS was 22months posttreatment and 43.7months postdiagnosis. Median TTP was 9.8months. Survival and TTP were significantly prolonged in patients with ECOG 0 (vs. ECOG 1 or 2; median OS: 29.4, 10, and 5.1months; TTP: 17.5, 6.9, and 2.4months), tumor burden ≤25% (OS: 26.7 vs. 6months; TTP: 17.5 vs. 2.3months), or tumor response (PR or SD vs. PD; OS: 35.5, 17.7 vs. 5.7months; TTP: 31.9, 9.8 vs. 2.5months), respectively (P<0.001). Radioembolization is an effective and safe option for patients with unresectable ICC. Predictors for prolonged survival are performance status, tumor burden, and RECIST response.

Technical Solutions to Ensure Safe Yttrium-90 Radioembolization in Patients With Initial Extrahepatic Deposition of 99mTechnetium–Albumin Macroaggregates

PurposeTo evaluate the incidence of extrahepatic deposition of technetium-99m–labeled albumin macroaggregates (99mTc-MAA) after pretreatment angiography, before yttrium-90 radioembolizaton (90Y-RE), and to report on technical solutions that can be used to ensure safe delivery of 90Y-microspheres in patients with initial extrahepatic deposition.Materials and MethodsA retrospective analysis of 26 patients with primary and secondary liver malignancies, who were scheduled for treatment with 90Y-RE in our institution in 2009, was performed. The angiograms and single-photon emission computed tomography images of all patients were reviewed by an interventional radiologist and a nuclear medicine physician, respectively, to identify and localize extrahepatic deposition of 99mTc-MAA when present. Subsequently, the technical solutions were used to successfully perform 90Y-RE in these patients were evaluated and described.ResultsExtrahepatic deposition of 99mTc-MAA was observed in 8 of 26 patients (31%). In 7 of 8 patients, a second pretreatment angiography was performed to detect the cause of extrahepatic deposition. The technical solutions to enable safe 90Y microspheres delivery included more distal placement of the microcatheter in the proper/right hepatic artery in 4 of 7 (57%) patients; (super)selective catheterization of multiple segmental branches in 2 of 7 (29%); and additional coiling of a newly detected branch in the remaining patient (14%). This was confirmed by a second MAA procedure. 90Y-RE was eventually performed in 25 of 26 (96%) patients. No procedure-related complications (<30 days) were observed.ConclusionExtrahepatic deposition of 99mTc-MAA after pretreatment angiography did occur in 8 of 26 (31%) patients. The technical solutions as presented allowed safe 90Y-RE delivery in 25 of 26 (96%) patients.