ABSTRACT
Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) was introduced in 1977 with the administration of chemotherapeutic agent to gelatin sponge particles through the hepatic artery in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and was established as conventional TACE using Lipiodol in the 1980s. In the 2000s, drug-eluting beads were developed and applied clinically. Currently, TACE is a commonly used non-surgical treatment modality for patients with HCC who are unsuitable for curative treatment. Considering the vital role of TACE in the management of HCC, it is crucial to organize current knowledge and expert opinions regarding patient preparation, procedural techniques, and post-treatment care in TACE, which can enhance therapeutic efficacy and safety. A group of 12 experts in the fields of interventional radiology and hepatology, convened by the Research Committee of the Korean Liver Cancer Association (KLCA), has developed expert consensus-based practical recommendations in TACE. These recommendations have been endorsed by the Korean Society of Interventional Radiology and provide useful information and direction in performing TACE procedure as well as pre- and post- procedural patient care.
ABSTRACT
Background/Aims@#Transarterial radioembolization (TARE) has shown promising results in treating advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT). However, whether TARE can provide superior or comparable outcomes to tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) in patients with HCC and PVTT remains unclear. We compared the outcomes of TARE and TKI therapy in treatment-naïve patients with locally advanced HCC and segmental or lobar PVTT. @*Methods@#This multicenter study included 216 patients initially treated with TARE (n=124) or TKI (sorafenib or lenvatinib; n=92) between 2011 and 2021. Baseline characteristics were balanced using propensity score matching (PSM) or inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). The primary outcome was overall survival (OS). The secondary outcomes included progression-free survival (PFS) and objective response rate (ORR). @*Results@#In the unmatched cohort, the median OS of the TARE and TKI groups were 28.2 and 7.2 months, respectively (p<0.001), and the TARE group experienced significantly and independently longer OS compared to the TKI group (adjusted hazard ratio=0.41, 95% confidence interval=0.28–0.60, p<0.001). Similar results were observed in the study cohorts balanced with IPTW (p=0.003) or PSM (p=0.004). Although PFS was comparable between the two groups, the TARE group showed a trend of prolonged PFS in a subpopulation of patients with Vp1 or Vp2 PVTT (p=0.052). In the matched cohorts, the ORR of the TARE group was 53.0–56.7%, whereas that of the TKI group was 12.3–15.0%. @*Conclusions@#For patients with advanced HCC with segmental or lobar PVTT and well-preserved liver function, TARE may provide superior OS compared to sorafenib or lenvatinib.
ABSTRACT
Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) was introduced in 1977 with the administration of chemotherapeutic agent to gelatin sponge particles through the hepatic artery in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and was established as conventional TACE using Lipiodol in the 1980s. In the 2000s, drug-eluting beads were developed and applied clinically. Currently, TACE is a commonly used non-surgical treatment modality for patients with HCC who are unsuitable for curative treatment. Considering the vital role of TACE in the management of HCC, it is crucial to organize current knowledge and expert opinions regarding patient preparation, procedural techniques, and post-treatment care in TACE, which can enhance therapeutic efficacy and safety. A group of 12 experts in the fields of interventional radiology and hepatology, convened by the Research Committee of the Korean Liver Cancer Association (KLCA), has developed expert consensus-based practical recommendations in TACE. These recommendations have been endorsed by the Korean Society of Interventional Radiology and provide useful information and direction in performing TACE procedure as well as pre- and post- procedural patient care.
ABSTRACT
Objective@#To assess the two-year treatment outcomes of chemoembolization with drug-eluting embolics (DEE) for nodular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). @*Materials and Methods@#This study was a prospective, multicenter, registry-based, single-arm trial conducted at five university hospitals in Korea. Patients were recruited between May 2011 and April 2013, with a target population of 200. A DC Bead loaded with doxorubicin was used as the DEE agent. Patients were followed up for two years. Per-patient and perlesion tumor response analysis, per-patient overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) analysis, and per-lesion tumor control analysis were performed. @*Results@#The final study population included 152 patients, with 207 target lesions for the per-lesion analysis. At one-month, six-month, one-year, and two-year per-patient assessments, complete response (CR) rates were 40.1%, 43.0%, 33.3%, and 19.6%, respectively. The objective response (OR) rates were 91.4%, 55.4%, 35.1%, and 19.6%, respectively. The cumulative two-year OS rate was 79.7%. The cumulative two-year PFS rate was 22.4% and the median survival was 9.3 months. In multivariable analysis, the Child-Pugh score (p = 0.019) was an independent predictor of OS, and tumor multiplicity (p < 0.001), tumor size (p = 0.020), and Child-Pugh score (p = 0.006) were independent predictors of PFS. In per-lesion analysis, one-month, six-month, one-year and two-year CR rates were 57.5%, 58.5%, 45.2%, and 33.3%, respectively, and the OR rates were 84.1%, 65.2%, 46.6%, and 33.3%, respectively. The cumulative two-year per-lesion tumor control rate was 36.2%, and the median time was 14.1 months. The Child-Pugh score (p < 0.001) was the only independent predictor of tumor control. Serious adverse events were reported in 11 patients (7.2%). @*Conclusion@#DEE chemoembolization for nodular HCCs in the Korean population showed acceptable survival, tumor response, and safety profiles after a two-year follow-up. Good liver function (Child-Pugh score A5) was a key predictor of per-patient OS, PFS, and per-lesion tumor control.
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Objective@#To assess the two-year treatment outcomes of chemoembolization with drug-eluting embolics (DEE) for nodular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). @*Materials and Methods@#This study was a prospective, multicenter, registry-based, single-arm trial conducted at five university hospitals in Korea. Patients were recruited between May 2011 and April 2013, with a target population of 200. A DC Bead loaded with doxorubicin was used as the DEE agent. Patients were followed up for two years. Per-patient and perlesion tumor response analysis, per-patient overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) analysis, and per-lesion tumor control analysis were performed. @*Results@#The final study population included 152 patients, with 207 target lesions for the per-lesion analysis. At one-month, six-month, one-year, and two-year per-patient assessments, complete response (CR) rates were 40.1%, 43.0%, 33.3%, and 19.6%, respectively. The objective response (OR) rates were 91.4%, 55.4%, 35.1%, and 19.6%, respectively. The cumulative two-year OS rate was 79.7%. The cumulative two-year PFS rate was 22.4% and the median survival was 9.3 months. In multivariable analysis, the Child-Pugh score (p = 0.019) was an independent predictor of OS, and tumor multiplicity (p < 0.001), tumor size (p = 0.020), and Child-Pugh score (p = 0.006) were independent predictors of PFS. In per-lesion analysis, one-month, six-month, one-year and two-year CR rates were 57.5%, 58.5%, 45.2%, and 33.3%, respectively, and the OR rates were 84.1%, 65.2%, 46.6%, and 33.3%, respectively. The cumulative two-year per-lesion tumor control rate was 36.2%, and the median time was 14.1 months. The Child-Pugh score (p < 0.001) was the only independent predictor of tumor control. Serious adverse events were reported in 11 patients (7.2%). @*Conclusion@#DEE chemoembolization for nodular HCCs in the Korean population showed acceptable survival, tumor response, and safety profiles after a two-year follow-up. Good liver function (Child-Pugh score A5) was a key predictor of per-patient OS, PFS, and per-lesion tumor control.
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Background@#s/Aims: Backgrounds/Aims: In Korea, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer and results in the second-highest cancer death rate among all cancers. We aimed to describe the characteristics of patients who were newly diagnosed with HCC in Korea between 2008 and 2011. @*Methods@#The Korean Primary Liver Cancer Registry (KPLCR) is a random sample consisting of approximately 15% of patients with newly diagnosed primary liver cancer registered in the Korean Central Cancer Registry. We investigated the baseline characteristics, treatment modalities, and overall survival (OS) of patients with HCC registered in the KPLCR between 2008 and 2011. @*Results@#A total of 6,083 patients were histologically or radiologically diagnosed with HCC. The hepatitis B virus was the predominant HCC etiology (72.0%). According to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system, stages 0, A, B, C, and D accounted for 8.6%, 39.7%, 11.5%, 33.8%, and 6.9%, respectively. Transarterial therapy (41.7%) was the most commonly performed initial treatment, followed by best supportive care (21.7%), surgical resection (16.7%), and local ablation therapies (10.6%). The overall rate of adherence to the BCLC treatment guideline was only 37.7%. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 65.6%, 46.2%, and 36.8%, respectively. @*Conclusions@#Between 2008 and 2011, approximately half of patients with HCC (48.3%) were candidates for curative treatment (BCLC stage 0 or A), but one-third of patients (33.8%) had advanced HCC (BCLC stage C). Transarterial therapy was the most commonly conducted initial treatment and the 5-year OS rate was 36.8% in this period.
ABSTRACT
Spontaneous tumor rupture is a serious but rare complication of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and has a low survival rate. Here, we report a case of massive HCC that ruptured and was treated successfully with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). A 55-year-old man with abdominal pain was diagnosed with a 12-cm-wide ruptured HCC at segment 8. The overall liver function was scored as Child–Pugh A, but the single nodule tumor had ruptured; therefore, TACE treatment was initiated. After the first TACE treatment, residual tumors were found; thus, secondary TACE was performed 5 months later. No new lesions or extrahepatic metastases were found 16 months after the first TACE treatment, so hepatic resection was performed for curative treatment. The postoperative pathology results did not reveal any cancer cells; hence, TACE alone resulted in a cure. We report this case because the cure has been maintained for more than 3 years after resection.
ABSTRACT
Background/Aims@#Considering the high prevalence and mortality of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Korea, accurate statistics for HCC are important. We evaluated the characteristics of Korean patients with newly diagnosed HCC. @*Methods@#We retrospectively evaluated data from the Korean Primary Liver Cancer Registry (KPLCR). The baseline characteristics, treatment modalities, and overall survival (OS) of 4,572 patients with HCC registered in the KPLCR between 2012 and 2014 were investigated. @*Results@#At the time of HCC diagnosis, the median age was 60.0 years, with male predominance (79.6%). Hepatitis B virus infection was the most common etiology (59.1%). The rates of Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stages 0, A, B, C, and D at diagnosis were 3.9%, 36.9%, 12.5%, 39.4%, and 7.3%, respectively. The proportion of very early or early stage HCC at diagnosis (BCLC stage 0 or A) in the 2012-2014 cohort was significantly lower than that in the 2008-2011 cohort (40.8% vs. 48.3%, P<0.001). Transarterial therapy (37.5%) was the most commonly performed initial treatment, followed by surgical resection (19.8%), best supportive care (19.1%), and local ablation (10.6%). The median OS was 2.9 years, and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 67.7%, 49.3% and 41.9%, respectively. The OS rate of the 2012-2014 cohort was significantly higher than that of the 2008-2011 cohort (log-rank, P<0.001). @*Conclusions@#The OS of HCC patients registered in the KPLCR between 2012 and 2014 significantly improved. Nevertheless, as about half of the HCC patients were diagnosed at an advanced stage, vigorous and optimized HCC screening strategies should be implemented.
ABSTRACT
Conventional chemoembolization using Lipiodol-based regimens was introduced in the 1980s, and it is currently recommended as the primary treatment modality for patients with unresectable, intermediate, or locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by the international guidelines. For better therapeutic efficacy and safety, chemoembolization should be performed as selectively as possible through tumor-feeding arteries, based on the detection of arterial supply to the HCC. With the technical advancement of flat-panel detector, cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is mounted on the C-arm of the angiographic machine. CBCT facilitates the detection of small occult HCCs and fine tumor-feeding arteries, recognition of extrahepatic collateral supply, navigation of a microcatheter to the target feeding arteries, prevention of non-target embolization, and intraprocedural assessment of the completeness of treatment with chemoembolization. These functions performed by CBCT ultimately improve the safety and efficacy of chemoembolization and may contribute to improving the prognosis of the patient with HCC.
Subject(s)
Humans , Arteries , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular , Cone-Beam Computed Tomography , PrognosisABSTRACT
Gastrointestinal bleeding is a common medical emergency with significant morbidity and mortality. Although endoscopic treatment was recommended as the first-line approach, it is often limited in real clinical practice. Over the past few decades, transcatheter arterial embolization has become a major treatment modality for the management of gastrointestinal bleeding that is refractory to endoscopic management. This review aims to describe the outcomes and complications of transcatheter arterial embolization for gastrointestinal bleeding.
Subject(s)
Emergencies , Hemorrhage , MortalityABSTRACT
Endovascular treatment (EVT) including angioplasty and stenting is an effective treatment for superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome. Recurrence of SVC syndrome is mainly caused by tumor progression and occurs in around 20% after EVT, but sometimes venous thrombosis within stent accounts for recurrence of SVC syndrome. Anticoagulation after EVT is still a controversial issue. In our case, a 73-year-old man with SVC syndrome caused by mediastinal metastasis from non-small cell lung cancer underwent endovascular stent followed by anticoagulation with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), but symptomatic progression due to in-stent thrombosis necessitated the second procedure after two weeks. A total of 4 sessions of endovascular stent and anticoagulation with LMWH, warfarin and rivaroxaban did not induce durable resolution of in-stent thrombosis. Our case suggests refractory in-stent thrombosis could develop despite of anticoagulation after endovascular stent for SVC syndrome.
Subject(s)
Aged , Humans , Angioplasty , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung , Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight , Neoplasm Metastasis , Recurrence , Rivaroxaban , Stents , Superior Vena Cava Syndrome , Thrombosis , Vena Cava, Superior , Venous Thrombosis , WarfarinABSTRACT
We describe 2 cases of patients with loss of hepatic arterial flow during surgery for pancreatic head cancer due to celiac stenosis caused by median arcuate ligament compression. The first case underwent pylorus-resecting pancreatoduodenectomy for pancreatic head cancer. After resection of the gastroduodenal artery, flow in the common hepatic artery disappeared, and celiac axis stenosis was identified. Interventional stent insertion was attempted, however, it failed due to the acute angle of the celiac orifice (os). This problem was resolved by arterial reconstruction. The second case underwent pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy for pancreatic head cancer and the same phenomenon occurred during the procedure. Interventional stent insertion was also tried; in this patient, however, it failed due to the acute angle of the celiac os. The problem was resolved by changing a femoral approach to a brachial approach, and the stent was inserted into the celiac os successfully.
Subject(s)
Humans , Arteries , Constriction, Pathologic , Head and Neck Neoplasms , Hepatic Artery , Ligaments , Pancreaticoduodenectomy , StentsABSTRACT
We describe 2 cases of patients with loss of hepatic arterial flow during surgery for pancreatic head cancer due to celiac stenosis caused by median arcuate ligament compression. The first case underwent pylorus-resecting pancreatoduodenectomy for pancreatic head cancer. After resection of the gastroduodenal artery, flow in the common hepatic artery disappeared, and celiac axis stenosis was identified. Interventional stent insertion was attempted, however, it failed due to the acute angle of the celiac orifice (os). This problem was resolved by arterial reconstruction. The second case underwent pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy for pancreatic head cancer and the same phenomenon occurred during the procedure. Interventional stent insertion was also tried; in this patient, however, it failed due to the acute angle of the celiac os. The problem was resolved by changing a femoral approach to a brachial approach, and the stent was inserted into the celiac os successfully.
Subject(s)
Humans , Arteries , Constriction, Pathologic , Head and Neck Neoplasms , Hepatic Artery , Ligaments , Pancreaticoduodenectomy , StentsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine in vivo efficacy of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in porcine liver by using 15-gauge Octopus(R) (15-G Octopus(R)) electrodes to create a large coagulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 18 coagulations were created by using a 180-W generator and 15-G Octopus(R) electrodes during laparotomy, performed in 14 pigs. Coagulation necrosis was created in the pig livers by the use of one of three RFA protocols: 1) group A, monopolar RFA using a 15-G Octopus(R) electrode with a 5-mm inter-electrode distance (n = 4); 2) group B, monopolar RFA using a 15-G Octopus(R) electrode with a 10-mm inter-electrode distance (n = 6); and 3) group C, switching monopolar RFA using two 15-G Octopus(R) electrodes (n = 8). The energy efficiency, shape, maximum and minimum diameters (Dmx and Dmi), and the volume of the coagulation volume were measured in each group. The Summary statistics were obtained and Mann-Whitney test was were performed. RESULTS: The mean ablated volume of each group was 49.23 cm3 in A, 64.11 cm3 in B, and 72.35 cm3 in C. The mean Dmx and Dmi values were 5.68 cm and 4.58 cm in A and 5.97 cm and 4.97 cm in B, respectively. In group C, the mean diameters of Dmx and Dmi were 6.80 cm and 5.11 cm, respectively. The mean ratios of Dmi/Dmx were 1.25, 1.20, and 1.35 in groups A, B, and C, respectively. There was one animal death during the RFA procedure, the cause of which could not be subsequently determined. However, there were no other significant, procedure-related complications during the seven-hour-delayed CT scans. CONCLUSION: RFA procedures using 15-G Octopus(R) electrodes are useful and safe for creating a large ablation in a single electrode model as well as in the multiple electrodes model.
Subject(s)
Animals , Catheter Ablation/methods , Electrocoagulation/instrumentation , Electrodes , Liver/diagnostic imaging , Statistics, Nonparametric , Swine , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To predict which intercostal artery supplies a tumor by examining the spatial relationship between hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the intercostal artery feeding the tumor on transverse computed tomography (CT) images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2000 and September 2009, 46 intercostal arteries supplying HCCs smaller than 4 cm were noted in 44 patients, and CT scans and angiograms of these patients were retrospectively reviewed. The intercostal artery feeding the tumor was marked on the CT scan showing the center of the tumor. In addition, its spatial relationship with the tumor center was examined. The angle of the tumor location was measured on the transverse CT scan in the clockwise direction from the sagittal line on the virtual circle centered in the right hemithorax. Correlations between the angle of the tumor location and the level of the tumor-feeding intercostal artery were assessed with the Spearman rank coefficient. RESULTS: Of 46 intercostal arteries feeding HCC, 39 (85%) were the first ones observed from the tumor center in a counterclockwise direction on the transverse CT image containing the tumor center. The level of the tumor-feeding intercostal artery was significantly correlated with the angle of the tumor, as the posteriorly located tumor tends to be supplied by lower intercostal arteries, while the laterally located tumor by upper intercostal arteries (Spearman coefficient = -0.537; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: We can predict the tumor feeder with an accuracy of 85% as the first intercostal artery encountered from the tumor center in a counterclockwise direction on a transverse CT image.
Subject(s)
Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/blood supply , Chemoembolization, Therapeutic , Liver Neoplasms/blood supply , Multidetector Computed TomographyABSTRACT
We present a rare case of a focal intrahepatic extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) that mimicked a hypervascular hepatic neoplasm in a 33-year-old woman with idiopathic myelofibrosis. The lesion showed homogeneous and persistent enhancement on both contrast-enhanced CT and gadolinium-enhanced dynamic MR imaging. The lesion did not demonstrate an apparent signal drop on a T2*-weighted sequence following administration of a superparamagnetic iron-oxide agent (SHU 555A). A hepatocellular adenoma was the initial radiological diagnosis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a histopathologically proven intrahepatic EMH evaluated with dynamic- and SPIO-enhanced MRI.
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Male , Adenoma/diagnosis , Diagnosis, Differential , Hematopoiesis, Extramedullary , Liver/physiology , Liver Neoplasms/diagnosis , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Primary Myelofibrosis/physiopathologyABSTRACT
We present here the radiological findings of a rare case of multiple focal nodular hyperplasia that was associated with portal vein atresia and portopulmonary hypertension in a young woman. This case illustrates and supports the pathophysiological hypotheses that were previously proposed for the coexistence of these three abnormalities.
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Focal Nodular Hyperplasia/diagnostic imaging , Hypertension, Portal/complications , Hypertension, Pulmonary/complications , Portal Vein/abnormalitiesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Recent ad vances and innovation in laser technology encourages us to learn and use it experimentally and clinically. The pulsed dye laser(Candela SPTL-1) is a flashlamp excited dye laser, using the princ ples of selective photothermolysis that targets the abnormal microvascu lature of cutaneous lesions while sparing adjacent structures including the epidermis. The laseemits a 585nm wavelength, and has a pulse duration of 450 usec. It is now being widely used in the treatment of vascular diseases in the dermatology field. OBJECTIVE & METHOD : Buring the period of about 3 years from August 1994 to March 1992, at the out patient clinin of Department of Dermatology of Yonsei University. 252 patients who were treated with SPTL was analyzed to evaluate the clinical effects of the pulsed dye laser. Patient di@st.ributition f the cutaneous vascular lesions included 1fil pat.ients with nevui flammeus, 68 with telangcetasia, 15 with spider angima, 5 with strawberry hemangiona and 2 with cavernous hemangior ia. RESULTS: The results and summarized as follows : 1. Nevus flammeus 4b.7% of early childhood, 41.5% of late childhood and 47.3% of adults showed excellent or good results. 2. Telangiectasia 78.1% of patients she wed excellent or good results. 3. Spider angioma 66.7% of patients she wed excellent or good results. 4. Strawberry hemangioma and cavernous hemangioma Most, of the patients,howed fair or poor results. 5. Complications included hyperpigmentation(26.5%), hypopigmentation(1.6%) and atrophic scar(4.5% ). CONCLUSION: Our experince with pulsed dye laser during the last 3 years revealed that it was superior in treating vascular disease than other existing lasers.
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Dermatology , Epidermis , Fragaria , Hemangioma , Hemangioma, Cavernous , Lasers, Dye , Port-Wine Stain , Spiders , Telangiectasis , Vascular DiseasesABSTRACT
Nevus lipomatosus superficialis is a rare. disease entity characterized by ectopic dermal fat cells. The lesions are usually either congenital or present by the second decade of life and occur pre-dominantly in the pelvic area. There´are usually no associated abnormalities and familial incidence is not yet reported in English language literature. The authors report a familial case of nevus lipomatosus superficialis with characteristic light and electron microscopic findings.
Subject(s)
Adipocytes , Incidence , NevusABSTRACT
The proliferating trichilemmal tumor (PTT) is a rare, usually benign, tumor arising from the outer root sheath of the hair follicle. The usual clinical presentation is in a form of subcutaneous nodule in the scalp of elderly woman. Histopathologically, characteristic proliferation of the outer root sheath epithelium such as trichilemmal keratinization and nodular organization is observed as well as cellular atypia which may lead to impression of malignancy. The author report a case of proliferating trichilemmal tumor arisen in the thigh of a 24-year-old male within duration of 3 months which is quite an unusual clinical presentation.