Efficacy of Selective Internal Radiation Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Post-Incomplete Response to Chemoembolization

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common neoplasms worldwide and the third most common cause of cancer-related death. Several liver-targeted intra-arterial therapies are available for unresectable HCC, including selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) and trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE). Those two are the most used treatment modalities in localized non-operable HCC. TACE is the treatment option for patients with stage B, according to the BCLC staging system. In contrast, SIRT does not have an official role in the treatment algorithm, but recent studies showed promising outcomes in patients treated with SIRT. Although TACE is globally a safe procedure, it might provoke several vascular complications such as spasms, inflammatory constriction, and, in severe cases, occlusion, dissection, or collateralization. Hence, it is acclaimed that those complications could restrain the targeted response of the radio-embolization when we use it as second-line therapy post TACE. In this study, we will assess the efficacity of SIRT using Yttrium 90 Microspheres post incomplete or failure response to TACE. In our retrospective study, we had 23 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Furthermore, those patients have been followed radiologically and biologically. Then, we evaluated the therapeutic effect according to the mRECIST criteria, in addition to the personalized dose analysis. We found 8 patients were treated with TheraSphere®, with a median tumor absorbed dose of 445 Gy, while 15 received SIR-Spheres® treatment with a mean tumor dose of 268 Gy. After radiological analysis, 56.5% of the patients had a complete response, and 17.3% showed partial response, whereas 13% had stable disease and 13% had progressive disease. For patients treated with SIRT after an incomplete response or failure to TACE, we found an objective response rate of 73.8%. Despite the known vascular complications of TACE, SIRT can give a favorable response.