Palliative Transcatheter Arterial Embolization for Life-Threatening Hemorrhage from Advanced Buccal Mucosal...

Background and Clinical Significance: Hemorrhage from advanced oral cancer can threaten both circulation and airway patency. Case Presentation: A 60-year-old man with advanced left buccal mucosal squamous cell carcinoma (cT4bN2bM0, Stage IVB) was medically unsuitable for radical surgery. Definitive radiotherapy was initiated, but after 20 Gy in 10 fractions, massive tumor hemorrhage on 12 July 2022 posed an imminent risk of airway obstruction and required intubation. After local hemostatic measures and transfusion, transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) of tumor-feeding external carotid branches was performed on 14 July using coils and n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate. Angiography showed markedly reduced tumor staining; the patient was extubated the next day. No recurrent tumor bleeding or clinically apparent neurological deficit was documented through the last outpatient evaluation on 8 August 2022. Conclusions: TAE achieved short-term hemostasis and facilitated early extubation in this patient; durable efficacy and survival benefit cannot be established from this case.