yttrium-90 radioembolization for the treatment of unresectable liver cancer: results of a single center

Objective: To determine the effects of yttrium-90 (Y-90) resin microsphere radioembolization therapy on patients with unresectable liver cancer who do not benefit from chemotherapy. Methods: Fifty-five patients underwent radioembolization therapy included in the study whose had unresectable primary or metastatic liver cancer originating from the gastrointestinal tract. Three were excluded from the study after pre-evaluation angiography. Thirteen (23.6%) of the remaining 52 patients had hepatocellular carcinoma and 39 (76.4%) had metastatic liver cancer. Fifty-two patients underwent Y-90 radioembolization treatment. Each patient's response to the administered treatment was evaluated using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) and the overall probability of survival was displayed graphically by the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: After Y-90 therapy, 47 patients were follow-up. While 57% of the patients responded to treatment as clinical benefit, the disease progressed in 43%. The median hepatic progression-free survival time of the patients was 3.4 months (95% confidence interval (ci):1.4-5.3) and the overall survival time was 11.3 months (95%, CI:8.7-14.03). Conclusion: This study emphasizes that Y-90 resin microsphere radioembolization treatment is effective in patients with unresectable liver cancer.