The carcinoid syndrome: palliation by hepatic artery embolization

A group of 25 patients with malignant carcinoid syndrome underwent hepatic artery embolizations to palliate the symptoms of this syndrome. Twenty-three patients could be evaluated: 20 (87%) of them responded to embolization with a median response duration of 11+ months, one (4%) did not respond, and two (9%) died of complications from the embolization. The symptomatic responses correlated with two variables: (1) a decrease in the extent of the hepatic metastases in 17 of the 18 patients who had follow-up hepatic imaging, and (2) a decrease in the urine 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid values to a mean of 41% of pretreatment levels in the 18 patients for whom this test was available. Hepatic artery embolization provides the most effective treatment for the carcinoid syndrome and the hepatic metastases. Periodic embolizations will maintain clinical remissions for prolonged periods of time.