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Preliminary experience with arterial chemoembolization for hepatoblastoma and hepatocellular carcinoma in children
Author(s) -
Czauderna Piotr,
Zbrzezniak Grzegorz,
Narozanski Wojciech,
Korzon Maria,
Wyszomirska Maria,
Stoba Czeslaw
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
pediatric blood and cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.116
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1545-5017
pISSN - 1545-5009
DOI - 10.1002/pbc.20422
Subject(s) - hepatoblastoma , medicine , hepatocellular carcinoma , blood cancer , transcatheter arterial chemoembolization , oncology , radiology , cancer
The objective of this work was to test feasibility and efficacy of hepatic artery chemoembolization (HACE) in unresectable malignant liver tumors. Five patients aged from 1–12 years were treated in the Medical University of Gdansk from 1999 to 2002. All had locally advanced tumors, which did not respond to systemic chemotherapy: four, hepatoblastoma (HB) and one, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Arteriography was performed and chemoembolization suspension (cisplatin + doxorubicin + mitomycin mixed with lipiodol) was injected, followed by gelatin foam particles. The procedure was performed one to three times in each patient. In four patients (three, HB, one, fibrolamellar HCC), tumor response was observed, with decrease in the diameter of the mass of 25–33% and fall in the AFP level of 83–99%. One child with HB was non‐evaluable due to early death caused by systemic myelotoxicity. Two patients (2 HB) underwent macroscopically complete tumor resection, 1 is alive and well, and 1 died at the end of surgery for an unknown reason (possibly related to cardiotoxicity of earlier systemic chemotherapy). One HB patient was successfully transplanted after two HACE courses. The only HCC patient died because of pulmonary oil embolism immediately after the third HACE course. HACE can lead to tumor regression in most cases and may be considered an alternative for patients with unresectable liver tumors who do not respond to primary systemic chemotherapy and are not candidates for liver transplantation for various reasons. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.