Histological assessment of the efficacy of drug-eluting beads in portal tumor thrombosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

• Main Authors: Yusuke Imai, MD, Masashi Hirooka, MD, PhD, Yohei Koizumi, MD, PhD, Yoshiko Nakamura, MD, Takao Watanabe, MD, PhD, Osamu Yoshida, MD, PhD, Yoshio Tokumoto, MD, PhD, Eiji Takeshita, MD, PhD, Masanori Abe, MD, PhD, Hiroaki Tanaka, MD, PhD, Mie Kurata, MD, PhD, Sohei Kitazawa, MD, PhD, Yoichi Hiasa, MD, PhD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2017-03-01
• Series: Radiology Case Reports
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1930043316301911
• ISSN: 1930-0433

A 58-year-old man was diagnosed with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT). The tumors were multiple and existed in both lobes. Drug-eluting beads transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) was performed for the tumors in the left lobe. Embosphere and Hepasphere were selected for embolization of the arterioportal shunt, followed by loaded epirubicin infusion into the left hepatic artery. Computed tomography showed reduction of PVTT. However, liver failure progressed, and the patient died 67 days after DEB-TACE. Autopsy showed that the beads reached the tumor thrombosis in the portal vein. The prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma with PVTT is poor. Although there are no established treatments for unresectable PVTT, DEB-TACE might be a useful option for such cases.