Chemoembolization in Conjunction with Bevacizumab: Preliminary Results.

Transarterial chemoembolization is an effective, minimally invasive therapy that is widely used for treatment of unresectable colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRC-LM). However, chemoembolization induces a hypoxic microenvironment, which increases neoangiogenesis and may promote early progression. For this reason, transarterial chemoembolization efficacy may be improved by combining it with an angiogenesis inhibitor, such as bevacizumab. This report shows that transarterial chemoembolization with irinotecan-loaded polyethylene glycol embolics and bevacizumab therapy was effective and well tolerated by 6 patients with CRC-LM, resulting in a disease control rate of 83% and an overall improvement in quality of life.

The Clinical Utility of Lower Extremity Dual-Energy CT Angiography in the Detection of Bone Marrow Edema in Diabetic Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease.

(1) Background: Type 2 diabetes is a major cause of incidences and the progression of peripheral artery disease (PAD). Bone marrow edema (BME) is an important finding suggestive of underlying bone inflammation in non-traumatic diabetic patients with PAD. Our aim was to evaluate the presence, severity, and clinical implications of BME detected by virtual non-calcium application (VNCa) of dual-energy CT angiography (DE-CTA). (2) Methods: A consecutive series of 76 diabetic patients (55 men; mean age 71.6 ± 11.2 yrs) submitted to lower limb DE-CTA for PAD evaluation and revascularization planning, which were retrospectively analyzed. VNCa images were independently and blindly revised for the presence, location, and severity of BME by two radiologists with 10 years of experience. BME and non-BME groups were evaluated in terms of PAD clinical severity and 6-month secondary major amputation rate. (3) Results: BME was present in 17 (22%) cases, while 59 (78%) patients were non-BME. The BME group showed a significantly higher incidence of major amputation (p < 0.001) and a significantly higher number of patients with advanced clinical stages of PAD compared to the non-BME group (p = 0.024). (4) Conclusions: Lower limb DE-CTA with VNCa application is a useful tool in the detection of BME in diabetic patients with PAD, simultaneously enabling the evaluation of the severity and location of the arterial disease for revascularization planning. BME presence could be a marker of clinically severe PAD and a possible risk factor for revascularization failure.

Extravasated contrast volumetric assessment on computed tomography angiography in gastrointestinal bleeding: A useful predictor of positive angiographic findings.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) is a severe and potentially life-threatening condition, especially in cases of delayed treatment. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) plays a pivotal role in the early identification of upper and lower GIB and in the prompt treatment of the haemorrhage. AIM: To determine whether a volumetric estimation of the extravasated contrast at CTA in GIB may be a predictor of subsequent positive angiographic findings. METHODS: In this retrospective single-centre study, 35 patients (22 men; median age 69 years; range 16-92 years) admitted to our institution for active GIB detected at CTA and further submitted to catheter angiography between January 2018 and February 2022 were enrolled. Twenty-three (65.7%) patients underwent endoscopy before CTA. Bleeding volumetry was evaluated in both arterial and venous phases via a semi-automated dedicated software. Bleeding rate was obtained from volume change between the two phases and standardised for unit time. Patients were divided into two groups, according to the angiographic signs and their concordance with CTA. RESULTS: Upper bleeding accounted for 42.9% and lower GIB for 57.1%. Mean haemoglobin value at the admission was 7.7 g/dL. A concordance between positive CTA and direct angiographic bleeding signs was found in 19 (54.3%) cases. Despite no significant differences in terms of bleeding volume in the arterial phase (0.55 mL vs 0.33 mL, P = 0.35), a statistically significant volume increase in the venous phase was identified in the group of patients with positive angiography (2.06 mL vs 0.9 mL, P = 0.02). In the latter patient group, a significant increase in bleeding rate was also detected (2.18 mL/min vs 0.19 mL/min, P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: In GIB of any origin, extravasated contrast volumetric analysis at CTA could be a predictor of positive angiography and may help in avoiding further unnecessary procedures.

Polyethylene glycol microspheres loaded with irinotecan for arterially directed embolic therapy of metastatic liver cancer.

AIM: To study tumor response, and tolerability of arterially directed embolic therapy (ADET) with polyethylene glycol embolics loaded with irinotecan for the treatment of colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRC-LM). Secondary objectives were to monitor quality of life, time to progression and survival of patients. METHODS: Patients were included in the study if they were affected by CRC-LM, refractory to systemic chemotherapy, treated with ADET using polyethylene glycol embolics, and had liver involvement < 50%. Tumor response, performance status (PS), tumor marker antigens, and quality of life (QoL) were monitored at 1, 3 and 6 mo after ADET. QoL was assessed with the Palliative Performance Scale (PPS). RESULTS: We treated 50 consecutive CRC-LM patients with ADET using polyethylene glycol embolics. Their tumor response one month after ADET was: 28% of complete response (CR), 48% of partial response (PR), 8% stable disease (SD), and 16% of progression. Tumor response 3 mo after ADET was CR 24%, PR 38%, SD 19% and progression disease (PD) 19%. Tumor response 6 mo after ADET was CR 18%, PR 44%, SD 21% and PD 18%. QoL was 90% PPS at each time point. Median time to progression for patients who progressed was 2.5 mo (range 0.8-6). Median follow-up was 14 mo (0.8-25 range). ADETs were performed with no complications. Observed side effects (mild or moderate intensity) were: Pain in 32% of patients, increase of transaminase levels in 20% and fever in 14%, whereas 30% of patients did not complain any adverse event. CONCLUSION: The treatment of unresectable CRC-LM with ADET using polyethylene glycol microspheres loaded with irinotecan was effective in tumor response and resulted in mild toxicity, and good QoL.

Hepatic Arterial Infusion of Polyethylene Glycol Drug-eluting Beads for Primary and Metastatic Liver Cancer Therapy.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Recently, there has been the launch of the new Polyethylene glycol (PEG) drug-eluting beads (LifePearl®) for transarterial chemoembolization. Their innovation is that PEG guarantees more compressibility, elasticity and maximizes beads' suspension time. We applied these beads for hepatic intra-arterial infusion of irinotecan or doxorubicin for the therapy of primary and metastatic liver cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We treated 20 consecutive patients, affected by unresectable primary liver cancer (PLC) or hepatic metastases (refractory to chemotherapy) using chemoembolization with doxorubicin or irinotecan pre-loaded Lifepearls. RESULTS: Tumor response rate was >80% in most patients with 63% of complete and 37% of partial response. We observed no complications during the chemoembolization and no severe general drug-related side-effects. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that chemoembolization with LifePearl® is efficacious and safe for the treatment of liver cancer as indicated by good tolerability, quality of life and high tumor response.