Special Issue Article
Giuseppe Maria Ettorre, Giovan
Abstract
Yttrium-90 microspheres radioembolization has shown to be an effective modality of treatment in patients with primary or metastatic liver tumours [1-4]. It is usually offered to patients with advanced liver cancers. However, surgical experience after radioembolization is very limited to anecdotal cases mainly related to hepatocellular carcinoma. We have treated patients with hepatocellular carcinoma or liver metastasis mainly from colon, breast, melanoma and neuroendocrine tumours. In our experience after such treatment we were able to downstage the tumour to surgery only in the case of hepatocellular carcinoma. Five patients had liver transplantation and 1 had right hepatic resection after Yttrium-90 microspheres radioembolization. Of note 2 patients had neoplastic infiltration of a portal vein branch which resolved after treatment with Yttrium-90 microspheres radioembolization. The extra-hepatic spread was ruled out and later they were both transplanted. Here we report our initial single center experience with Yttrium-90 microspheres radioembolization as downstaging and bridging method for hepatocellular carcinoma prior liver surgery, resection or liver transplantation.