How to Reduce the Risk for Complications?

Interventional oncology represents a relatively new clinical discipline based upon minimally invasive therapies applicable to almost every human organ and disease. Over the last several decades, rapidly evolving research developments have introduced a newer generation of treatment devices, reagents, and image-guidance systems to expand the armamentarium of interventional oncology across a wide spectrum of disease sites, offering potential cure, control, or palliative care for many types of cancer patients. Due to the widespread use of locoregional procedures, a comprehensive review of the methodologic and technical considerations to optimize patient selection with the aim of performing a safe procedure is mandatory. This article summarizes the expert discussion and report from the Mediterranean Interventional Oncology Live Congress (MIOLive 2020) held in Rome, Italy, integrating evidence-reported literature and experience-based perceptions as a means for providing guidance on prudent ways to reduce complications. The aim of the paper is to provide an updated guiding tool not only to residents and fellows but also to colleagues approaching locoregional treatments.publishersversionpublishe

Prevention and treatment of complications of selective internal radiation therapy: Expert guidance and systematic review

Selective internal radiation therapy (or radioembolization) by intra-arterial injection of radioactive yttrium-90-loaded microspheres is increasingly used for the treatment of patients with liver metastases or primary liver cancer. The high-dose beta-radiation penetrates an average of only 2.5 mm from the source, thus limiting its effects to the site of delivery. However, the off-target diversion of yttrium-90 microspheres to tissues other than the tumor may lead to complications. The most prominent of these complications include radiation gastritis and gastrointestinal ulcers, cholecystitis, radiation pneumonitis, and radioembolization-induced liver disease, which may occur despite careful pretreatment planning. Thus, selective internal radiation therapy demands an expert multidisciplinary team approach in order to provide comprehensive care for patients. This review provides recommendations to multidisciplinary teams on the optimal medical processes in order to ensure the safe delivery of selective internal radiation therapy. Based on the best available published evidence and expert opinion, we recommend the most appropriate strategies for the prevention, early diagnosis, and management of potential radiation injury to the liver and to other organs. (Hepatology 2017;66:969–982).SCOPUS: re.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

The Post-SIR-Spheres Surgery Study (P4S): Retrospective Analysis of Safety Following Hepatic Resection or Transplantation in Patients Previously Treated with Selective Internal Radiation Therapy with Yttrium-90 Resin Microspheres

Background: Reports show that selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) may downsize inoperable liver tumors to resection or transplantation, or enable a bridge-to-transplant. A small-cohort study found that long-term survival in patients undergoing resection following SIRT appears possible but no robust studies on postsurgical safety outcomes exist. The Post-SIR-Spheres Surgery Study was an international, multicenter, retrospective study to assess safety outcomes of liver resection or transplantation following SIRT with yttrium-90 (Y-90) resin microspheres (SIR-Spheres®; Sirtex). Methods: Data were captured retrospectively at participating SIRT centers, with Y-90 resin microspheres, surgery (resection or transplantation), and follow-up for all eligible patients. Primary endpoints were perioperative and 90-day postoperative morbidity and mortality. Standard statistical methods were used. Results: The study included 100 patients [hepatocellular carcinoma: 49; metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC): 30; cholangiocarcinoma, metastatic neuroendocrine tumor, other: 7 each]; 36% of patients had one or more lines of chemotherapy pre-SIRT. Sixty-three percent of patients had comorbidities, including hypertension (44%), diabetes (26%), and cardiopathy (16%). Post-SIRT, 71 patients were resected and 29 received a liver transplant. Grade 3+ peri/postoperative complications and any grade of liver failure were experienced by 24 and 7% of patients, respectively. Four patients died <90 days postsurgery; all were trisectionectomies (mCRC: 3; cholangiocarcinoma: 1) and typically had one or more previous chemotherapy lines and presurgical comorbidities. Conclusions: In 100 patients undergoing liver surgery after receiving SIRT, mortality and complication rates appeared acceptable given the risk profile of the recruited patients.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe