Biodegradable emboli and antibody targetting of colorectal and gastric hepatic metastases: a pilot study

The effect of degradable starch microspheres (DSM) on the passage of a low molecular weight marker through the liver of patients with metastases was compared with the passage of an anti-carcinoembryonic antigen monoclonal antibody. In all six patients studied DSM reduced the passage of the marker into the systemic circulation. In three patients who received labelled whole antibody, DSM had no effect. In two of three who received antibody fragments a similar delay to the low molecular weight marker was observed. This delay is likely to be a result of the smaller size of the fragments and may represent accumulation within the extravascular space.