Use of angioembolization as an effective technique for the management of pediatric solid tumors.
OBJECTIVE
In oncology practice, angioembolization has been reported for tumor reduction before surgery, treatment of life-threatening conditions, and for palliative care. Nevertheless, the overall experience with angioembolization for the treatment of tumors is limited. We report our experience in 7 nonvascular solid pediatric tumors.


METHODS
A retrospective review was carried out of medical records from pediatric patients (0-18 years) with solid nonvascular tumors who underwent angioembolization in the last 5 years at our institution.


RESULTS
Seven patients underwent embolization: 2 neuroblastomas, 1 metastatic paraganglioma, 1 hepatoblastoma, 1 myofibroblastic tumor, 1 osteosarcoma, and 1 undifferentiated sarcoma. The reason for angioembolization was preparation for surgery (3), treatment of a life-threatening event (1), or palliative care (3). Each case is presented and discussed. The outcome was subsequent complete surgical resection in 3 cases, tumor vanished in 1 case, symptom control was achieved in 1, and the other 2 patients improved their survival and quality of life, however, died of disease progression.


CONCLUSIONS
Tumor angioembolization may enter the treatment algorithm for selected patients who have to face difficult or unwarranted surgical procedures or have diseases where conventional therapies have failed.
Krauel
Lucas
L
Pediatric Surgery Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain. lkrauel@hsjdbcn.org
Albert
Asteria
A
Mora
Jaume
J
Sola
Teresa
T
Cruz
Ofelia
O
Mortera
Carlos
C
Ribó
Josep María
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D018450:Disease Progression; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D018197:Hepatoblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D047708:Myofibroma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D010166:Palliative Care; D010235:Paraganglioma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome