Transarterial (Chemo)Embolization for Liver Metastases in Patients with Neuroendocrine Tumors

The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of transarterial (chemo)embolization [TA(C)E] for the control of liver metastasis in patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs).

In this retrospective study, we enrolled 43 patients with metastatic NETs who had been treated with TA(C)E between December 1999 and June 2013 at the National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo or the National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa. We assessed tumor response, time to treatment failure (TTF), overall survival (OS), and frequency of adverse events in these patients, and attempted to identify predictors of TTF.

The site of the primary tumor was the pancreas in 29 patients (67%), the gastrointestinal tract in 11 patients (26%), and unknown in 3 patients (7%). Response rate, disease control rate, median TTF, and median OS were 56%, 96%, 24.7 months, and 86.1 months, respectively. No significant predictors of TTF could be identified. While 3 patients developed serious adverse events (including liver abscess in 2 patients and acute renal failure in 1 patient), the adverse events were well tolerated in all other patients.

TA(C)E appears to be effective and feasible for controlling the liver metastases in patients with NETs.