Transarterial chemoembolization using drug eluting microspheres in refractory colorectal liver metastases with 18F-FDG PET/CT follow-up to assess therapeutic response

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of transarterial chemoembolization using drug eluting microspheres loaded with irinotecan in the treatment of the colorectal liver metastases after failure of chemotherapy. Patients and methods: This prospective study was conducted from March 2014 to June 2016. The patients including 16 men and 6 women (mean age, 55 years) with metastatic colorectal carcinoma to the liver underwent transarterial chemoembolization using drug eluting microspheres as a salvage therapy after failure of systemic chemotherapy. Each patient underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT study before the procedure as well as 2 and 4 months after it to assess the response to therapy. Results: Favorable response was seen in 13 patients (59.1% of patients), progression of the disease occurred in 3 patients (13.6% of patients) while stationary disease was seen in 5 patients (22.7% of patients) and one patient died from brain metastases before the 2 months follow-up. Conclusion: Transarterial chemoembolization using drug-eluting microspheres loaded with irinotecan is a safe and effective salvage treatment of liver metastases from colorectal carcinoma not responding to systemic chemotherapy.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-ND

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