Drug-Eluting Embolics Chemoembolization for the Management of Recurrent or Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

To characterize the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of chemoembolization using drug-eluting embolic (DEE) microspheres in patients with recurrent and advanced head and neck cancer.

In this retrospective study, 32 patients (mean age, 57.2 years ± 2.8; 17 women) with recurrent (n = 16) and advanced (n = 16) head and neck cancer were treated with chemoembolization using DEE microspheres loaded with doxorubicin. Treatment response, overall survival, local progression-free survival, and adverse events were evaluated.

At 6 months after the procedure, the objective response and disease control rates were 25% and 69%, respectively. The median overall survival and local progression-free survival were 14.5 and 13.6 months, respectively. Seven (22%) patients experienced adverse events after the chemoembolization procedure. All the adverse events were related to postembolization syndrome, including vomiting and nausea (n = 1), pyrexia (n = 2), and localized pain (n = 7). No severe adverse events or procedure-related deaths were observed.

Chemoembolization using DEE microspheres was safe and tolerable in patients with recurrent and advanced head and neck cancer.