[Chemical embolization of carcinoid metastases in the liver]

We performed chemo-embolisation with gel foam powder and epirubicin in 11 symptomatic patients with liver metastases from carcinoids. In all cases the symptoms regressed completely after the procedure. In two patients the liver was re-embolised because of tumour growth and both again became symptom-free. In one case, increasing extra-hepatic tumour growth was treated with interferon. One female patients died seven days after the procedure from renal failure and from complications of cerebral oedema. Two other patients died from extensive extra-hepatic tumour in the skeleton and lungs at 88 and 97 weeks after embolisation, respectively. The remaining patients are still symptom-free at 18 to 161 weeks.