title: Hepatic arterial embolization versus chemoembolization in the treatment of liver metastases from well-differentiated midgut endocrine tumors: a prospective randomized study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Liver surgery is the best treatment for endocrine liver metastases, but it is often impossible due to diffuse disease. Systemic chemotherapy is poorly effective. Hepatic arterial embolization (HAE) and chemoembolization (HACE) have shown efficacy but have never been compared.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with progressive unresectable liver metastases from midgut endocrine tumors were randomly assigned to receive HAE or HACE (two procedures at 3-month interval). The primary end point was the 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate. Secondary end points were response rates, overall survival, and safety.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twelve patients were assigned to receive HACE and 14 to receive HAE. The patient characteristics were well matched across the treatment arms. The 2-year PFS rates were 38 and 44% in the HACE and HAE arms, respectively (p = 0.90). Age, gender, previous resection of the primary tumor or liver metastases, extent of liver involvement, and concomitant treatment with somatostatin analogues were not associated with changes in PFS, whereas elevated baseline urinary 5-HIAA and serum chromogranin A levels were associated with shorter PFS. The 2-year overall survival rates were 80 and 100% in the HACE and HAE arms, respectively (p = 0.16). The disease control rate on CT scan was 95%. Grade 3 toxicity occurred in 19% of patients, with no treatment-related deaths and no differences in the treatment arms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HACE and HAE are safe and permit tumor control in 95% of patients with progressive liver metastases from midgut endocrine tumors. The 2-year PFS was not higher among patients receiving HACE, not favoring the hypothesis of an additive efficacy of arterial chemotherapy or embolization alone.
authors.affiliation: Services de Gastroentérologie-Pancréatologie, Hôpital Beaujon, AP-HP, Clichy, France. frederique.maire @ bjn.aphp.fr
authors.forename: Frédérique
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Maire
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lombard-Bohas
authors.forename: Dermot
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: O'Toole
authors.forename: Marie-Pierre
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Vullierme
authors.forename: Vinciane
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rebours
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Couvelard
authors.forename: Anne Laure
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Pelletier
authors.forename: Magaly
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zappa
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pilleul
authors.forename: Olivia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hentic
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hammel
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ruszniewski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D004317:Doxorubicin