Transvenous pulmonary chemoembolization (TPCE) for palliative or neoadjuvant treatment of lung metastases

To retrospectively evaluate tumor response, local tumor control, and patient survival after the treatment of pulmonary metastases using transpulmonary chemoembolization (TPCE) in palliative and neoadjuvant intent.

One hundred forty-three patients (mean age 56.7 ± 13.4 years) underwent repetitive TPCE (mean number of sessions 5.8 ± 2.9) between June 2005 and April 2017 for the treatment of unresectable lung metastases, not responding to systemic chemotherapy. Patients had predominant lung metastases with bilateral lung involvement in 80.4% of the cases. Regional delivery of the chemotherapeutic agents was performed through selective catheterization of the tumor-supplying pulmonary arteries with subsequent injection of iodized oil and microspheres. Patients, who underwent subsequent ablation (n = 51), either for all lesions (complete) or dominant lesions (incomplete), constituted the neoadjuvant group, and those who underwent TPCE alone represented the palliative treatment intent (n = 92). The response was assessed according to the revised Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST).

Partial response was achieved in 11.9% (n = 17), stable disease in 66.4% (n = 95), and progressive disease in 21.7% (n = 31). The mean survival time and time to progression were 24.5 ± 1.7 and 7.5 ± 0.5 months, respectively. The mean survival time was shorter for the palliative group (19.7 ± 2), compared to the neoadjuvant group (30.1 ± 2.6 months). The use of TPCE alone or with incomplete ablation had a significantly increased hazard of death of 4.6- (p = 0.002) and 3.1-fold (p = 0.027), respectively, in comparison with TPCE with subsequent complete ablation.

TPCE has the potential to improve local tumor control and to prolong survival with a neoadjuvant potential when combined with ablation therapy.

• Transpulmonary chemoembolization (TPCE) is a locoregional technique for delivering chemotherapy in higher intratumoral concentrations and with reduced systemic toxicity. • TPCE can be an alternative treatment for patients with pulmonary metastases who failed prior systemic chemotherapy or with post-operative recurrence. • The current retrospective study revealed that TPCE is a feasible treatment option for patients with unrespectable lung secondaries in both palliative and neoadjuvant intent and has the potential of improving local control and prolonging survival.