Oily chemoembolization of pancreatic head adenocarcinoma

Oily chemoembolization is a known method of treatment for hepatic malignancies but was never used for pancreatic cancer. We report the case of a 48-year-old patient with unresectable adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic head treated by repeated chemoembolizations of the feeding (gastroduodenal) artery with gemcitabine-in-lipiodol. After 10 procedures there was a marked decrease in tumor. Radiologic examinations showed no signs of viable tumor. The patient is alive and symptom-free 22 months after the start of treatment. Oily chemoembolization should be investigated as a technically simple, safe, and potentially effective palliative management of unresectable pancreatic head carcinoma.