[Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization with HepaSphereTM for Diffuse Liver Metastases from Prostatic Cancer...

Although postoperative recurrence or prostate cancer metastasis is usually accompanied by high prostate-specific antigen (PSA)levels, it may occur even if PSA level is within the normal range. Neuroendocrine differentiation(NED), which is one of such cases, causes rapid disease progression. A man in his 70s underwent total prostatectomy for prostate cancer with high PSA levels. Twenty-two months later, liver, lung, and bone metastases appeared even though the PSA levels were normal. The levels of both neuron-specific enolase and pro-gastrin-releasing peptide were elevated and the patient was clinically diagnosed with NED. Although systemic chemotherapy was administered, the outcome was progressive disease. Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE)was opted because liver metastases were one of the prognostic factors. Four types of chemotherapy drugs(cisplatin 20 mg, docetaxel 20 mg, 5-FU 250 mg, and bevacizumab 100 mg)were infused through the right and left hepatic arteries, followed by embolization with HepaSphereTM. The liver tumors were remarkably reduced in size and the levels of tumor markers were reduced in 5 sessions. This treatment would avoid the lethal liver trouble; however, the patient died 7 months after the first session of TACE.