Single-institution experience with selective internal radiation therapy for the treatment of primary and secondary hepatic tumors
Abstract Background Numerous studies have demonstrated that radioembolization of the liver with yttrium-90 microspheres provides a survival advantage for patients with unresectable primary or secondary tumors of the liver. The goal of this study was to provide results of the real-world experience of a single center in Lebanon with the use of radioembolization to treat liver-only or liver-dominant tumors. Methods Patients were included in this retrospective review if they were evaluated for radioembolization between January 2015 and June 2017 and had a lung shunt fraction of 20% or less. Tumor responses were determined using the Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors. Results Of the 23 patients treated with radioembolization, 8 had hepatocellular carcinoma, 4 had cholangiocellular carcinoma, and 11 had liver-only or liver-dominant metastases from other primary cancers. All were Middle Eastern, with a median age of 64 years (range 36-87 years), and 14 were men. A majority (n=19) had an initial tumor volume of 49% or less. Most (n=17) had multifocal lesions, and 8 had a history of branched or main portal vein thrombosis. Eighteen patients required arterial coil occlusion. Two patients had their cystic artery occluded, and one of these patients developed cholecystitis, which was successfully treated with antibiotics and supportive care. Only one other patient developed a postradioembolization complication, which was a peptic ulcer and was not thought to be due to arterial reflux of microspheres because both the gastroduodenal and right gastric arteries were occluded. Median time to progression was 7 months (range 3-36 months), and median overall survival from radioembolization was 12 months (range 3-40 months). Tumor responses include complete response for 5 patients and partial response for 13 patients. One patient had stable disease and 4 had progressive disease. Conclusion While avoiding prophylactic coiling, we had a positive experience with coiling of the gastroduodenal artery and middle hepatic artery for consolidation of radiotherapy. Performing radioembolization in a nonreferral, private center in Lebanon resulted in good patient outcomes with a low rate of complications.