title: Hepatic artery embolization for treatment of endocrine gastrointestinal tumors with liver metastases.
abstract: We report about six patients with endocrine gastrointestinal tumors and liver metastases (four insulinomas, one carcinoidtumor, one paraganglioma), who were treated with a transluminal embolization of the hepatic artery when cytostatic therapy was ineffective. In two patients a second embolization was necessary after recurrence of clinical symptoms. All patients tolerated the procedure without severe side-effects and improved clinically. Serum insulin levels and HIAA-secretion rapidly decreased. Survival lasted from 3 to 32 months (median 15 months). Five additional patients with metastatic endocrine gastrointestinal tumors, observed during the same time period, were regarded as not suitable for hepatic artery embolization. In selected patients, hepatic artery embolization may become an effective therapy for treatment of metastasing endocrine gastrointestinal tumors when conventional medication with cytostatic drugs has become ineffective.
mesh_terms: D007516:Adenoma, Islet Cell / Q000556:secondary*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D003973:Diatrizoate; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D006499:Hepatic Artery; D006801:Humans; D007340:Insulinoma / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D010235:Paraganglioma / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D011409:Propylene Glycols; D011506:Proteins; D015028:Zein
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D005227:Fatty Acids; D011409:Propylene Glycols; D011506:Proteins; D003973:Diatrizoate; D015028:Zein; C020481:alcoholic prolamine solution