Strategies to minimize procedure-related pain and anxiety: lessons from pediatric dermatology.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Recent studies have suggested that prolonged or repeated episodes of general anesthesia early in childhood may adversely affect neurodevelopment. This, combined with rising healthcare costs and decreasing access, has sparked interest in performing pediatric procedures in the office setting when possible. It is essential to address the physical and psychological discomfort that often accompany this experience, particularly in children. RECENT FINDINGS: Healthcare providers performing procedures on children can draw from a spectrum of established techniques, new technology, and novel use of medications to decrease peri-procedural pain and anxiety. These techniques include distraction, optimization of local anesthesia, and mild to moderate sedation. SUMMARY: We recommend using a combination of techniques to minimize pain and anxiety to improve safety, decrease healthcare costs, improve patient experience, and prevent childhood trauma and persistent negative perception of the healthcare system.

Strategies to minimize procedure-related pain and anxiety: lessons from pediatric dermatology.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Recent studies have suggested that prolonged or repeated episodes of general anesthesia early in childhood may adversely affect neurodevelopment. This, combined with rising healthcare costs and decreasing access, has sparked interest in performing pediatric procedures in the office setting when possible. It is essential to address the physical and psychological discomfort that often accompany this experience, particularly in children. RECENT FINDINGS: Healthcare providers performing procedures on children can draw from a spectrum of established techniques, new technology, and novel use of medications to decrease peri-procedural pain and anxiety. These techniques include distraction, optimization of local anesthesia, and mild to moderate sedation. SUMMARY: We recommend using a combination of techniques to minimize pain and anxiety to improve safety, decrease healthcare costs, improve patient experience, and prevent childhood trauma and persistent negative perception of the healthcare system.

Botanical Briefs: Primula obconica Dermatitis.

Primula obconica, a household plant originally found in China that was introduced in Europe in the 1880s, has been reported to cause plant-induced contact dermatitis (CD). The condition more commonly is reported in Europe and less frequently in the United States, where the plant is not commonly included in patch testing protocols. Clinical features of P obconica CD can include facial and hand as well as fingertip dermatitis. The main allergens known to cause these findings are primin and miconidin. Treatment of P obconica CD mainly involves avoiding contact with the plant and applying a topical steroid.

Correction to: Prognosticating Survival in Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Elevated Baseline Alpha-fetoprotein Treated with Radioembolization Using a Novel Laboratory Scoring System: Initial Development and Validation.

The name of the eleventh author is listed incorrectly in the published article as Nitin Kataraya. The correct name is Nitin Katariya.

Prognosticating Survival in Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Elevated Baseline Alpha-fetoprotein Treated with Radioembolization Using a Novel Laboratory Scoring System: Initial Development and Validation.

AIMS: To investigate laboratory parameters as predictors of overall survival (OS) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with radioembolization and develop/validate a scoring system. METHODS: With IRB approval, we included all patients with baseline alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) > 100 ng/dL from our prospectively acquired HCC radioembolization database. Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, albumin-bilirubin (ALBI), and AFP were measured at baseline and at 1-, 3-, and 6-month post-radioembolization Landmarks. OS was assessed from these Landmarks. Univariate/multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate OS predictability of these parameters. Baseline Imaging, Laboratory, and Combination scoring systems were developed. Developing/validating groups were created to investigate/validate the score's OS predictability. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristics (ROC) were evaluated. Patients were stratified into groups I, II, and III by using 25th and 75th percentile cutoffs according to change in Laboratory Score from baseline. RESULTS: 345/401 (86%), 238/401 (59%), and 167/401 (42%) patients had laboratory parameters available at the 1-, 3-, and 6-month Landmarks, respectively. ALBI and AFP were significant OS prognosticators at all Landmarks. The Laboratory Score [ALBI + (0.3 × LnAFP)] was developed/internally validated to predict OS from these Landmarks. Areas under the curve of time-dependent ROCs of the Baseline Imaging vs. Laboratory scores in predicting patient OS post 3 and 6 months Landmarks were 0.56 versus 0.82 and 0.57 versus 0.77, respectively. OS differences in groups I, II, and III according to change in Laboratory Score from baseline were significant (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Post-radioembolization AFP and ALBI scores were significant OS prognosticators. A decrease in post-therapeutic Laboratory Score, which combines AFP and ALBI, correlates with an improved OS.

Outcomes of Surgical Resection after Radioembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To longitudinally study clinical and radiologic outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent yttrium-90 transarterial radioembolization (TARE) as a bridge to surgical resection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: TARE was performed in 31 patients with HCC before resection. Of patients, 25 underwent major hepatic resection (16 received right hepatectomy and 9 received trisegmentectomy), and 6 underwent partial hepatectomy. Clinical outcomes after TARE and after resection were recorded. Future liver remnant (FLR) was calculated before and after TARE, and actual liver remnant volume was calculated after resection. Radiologic response after TARE and pathologic necrosis were assessed. Overall and recurrence-free survivals after resection were estimated. RESULTS: Median time between TARE and resection was 2.9 months (interquartile range [IQR]: 2-5 months). Median FLR hypertrophy after TARE (and before resection) was 23.3% (IQR:10%-48%) for patients who had radiation lobectomy and 9% (IQR: 6%-25%) for patients who had radiation segmentectomy (P = .037). Median augmented hypertrophy of the liver remnant 3 months after resection was 72% (IQR:45%-88%) in patients who had radiation lobectomy and 94% (IQR: 72%-146%) in patients who had radiation segmentectomy. Complete, 50%-99%, and < 50% pathologic tumor necrosis was identified in 14 (45%), 10 (32%), and 7 (23%) tumors. Disease control was achieved in all 31 patients. Survival rates at 1 and 3 years were 96% and 86%, respectively. Median recurrence-free survival was 34.2 months (95% confidence interval,18.7-34.2). CONCLUSIONS: TARE can serve as a safe bridge to resection providing FLR hypertrophy and disease control.

Radioembolization Super Survivors: Extended Survival in Non-operative Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To identify baseline characteristics and long-term prognostic factors in non-transplant patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who had prolonged survival after treatment with yttrium-90 radioembolization (Y90). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-seven "Super Survivors" (defined as ≥ 3-year survival after Y90) were identified within our 1000-patient Y90 database (2003-2017). Baseline imaging and follow-up occurred at 1 month and every 3 months thereafter. Overall survival (OS) was calculated with Kaplan-Meier estimates with log-rank test in subgroups: Child-Pugh (CP) score, distribution of disease, portal vein thrombus (PVT), and technique (segmental vs lobar Y90). RESULTS: Median age 69.5 years (range 45-94 years); 69% male; 60% solitary HCC; 79% unilobar disease; 12% PVT; 10% ascites; Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer Stage A-54%/B-28%/C-16%/D-2%; CP A-70%/B-28%/C-2%. Longest baseline tumor diameter was 5.4 ± 4.0 cm (mean ± SD). All patients had an imaging response (either partial or complete response). Median OS was 67.5 months (95% CI 55.2-82.5). CP score and main PVT stratified median OS (p = 0.0007 and p = 0.0187, respectively). Beyond 3 years, segmental versus lobar Y90 was associated with improved OS with a median OS of 80.2 versus 46.7 months, respectively (p = 0.0024). Dosing > 200 Gy was not a significant predictor of improved OS. CONCLUSIONS: Super Survivors spanning the BCLC staging system maintained durable OS after radioembolization that was stratified by the extent of underlying liver disease. The common variable among all patients was an imaging response. Segmental versus lobar Y90 may have a long-term associated OS benefit.

Radiation Segmentectomy: Potential Curative Therapy for Early Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Purpose To report long-term outcomes of radiation segmentectomy (RS) for early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The authors hypothesized that outcomes are comparable to curative treatments for patients with solitary HCC less than or equal to 5 cm and preserved liver function. Materials and Methods This retrospective study included 70 patients (median age, 71 years; range, 22-96 years) with solitary HCC less than or equal to 5 cm not amenable to percutaneous ablation who underwent RS (dose of >190 Gy) between 2003 and 2016. Patients who underwent subsequent curative liver transplantation were excluded to eliminate this confounding variable affecting survival. Radiologic response of time to progression and median overall survival were estimated by using the Kaplan-Meier method per the guidelines of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Results Seventy patients were treated with RS over 14 years. Sixty-three patients (90%) showed response by using EASL criteria, of which 41 (59%) showed complete response. Fifty patients (71%) achieved response by using WHO criteria, of which 11 (16%) achieved complete response. Response rates at 6 months were 86% and 49% by using EASL and WHO criteria, respectively. Median time to progression was 2.4 years (95% confidence interval: 2.1, 5.7), with 72% of patients having no target lesion progression at 5 years. Median overall survival was 6.7 years (95% confidence interval: 3.1, 6.7); survival probability at 1, 3, and 5 years was 98%, 66%, and 57%, respectively. Overall survival probability at 1, 3, and 5 years was 100%, 82%, and 75%, respectively, in patients with baseline tumor size less than or equal to 3 cm (n = 45) and was significantly longer than in patients with tumors greater than 3 cm (P = .026). Conclusion RS provides response rates, tumor control, and survival outcomes comparable to curative-intent treatments for selected patients with early-stage HCC who have preserved liver function. © RSNA, 2018 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Survival Analysis of Advanced HCC Treated with Radioembolization: Comparing Impact of Clinical Performance Status Versus Vascular Invasion/Metastases.

PURPOSE: In this study, we aim to compare the effects of prognostic indicators on survival analysis for Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) C patients undergoing yttrium-90 radioembolization (Y-90). METHODS: A prospectively acquired database (2003-2017) for BCLC C hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients that underwent radioembolization with Y-90 was searched. The criteria for BCLC C status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) of 1 or 2, metastases, and/or portal vein thrombosis (PVT)) were recorded. Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were performed from the date of the first radioembolization with Y-90, censored to curative treatment, to determine median overall survival (OS). Cox regression hazards model was used for multivariate analyses. Significance was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: 547 BCLC C patients treated with radioembolization with Y-90 had a median OS of 10.7 months (range: 9.5-12.9). 43% (233 of 547) patients classified as BCLC C solely by their ECOG PS had a median OS of 19.4 months (14.7-23.7); 57% (314 of 547) patients with PVT/metastases had a median OS of 7.7 months (6.7-8.7). On multivariate analysis, ECOG PS was not found to be a statistically significant prognostic indicator of OS in BCLC C whereas metastases and PVT exhibited hazards ratios (95%CI) of 0.51 (0.38-0.69) and 0.49 (0.38-0.63), respectively (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Patients classified as BCLC C due to ECOG PS 1 demonstrated longer survival when compared to those presenting with PVT, metastases and/or ECOG PS 2. Hence, ECOG PS 1, as an isolated variable, may not be a true indicator of advanced disease.

Pretransplant Intra-arterial Liver-Directed Therapy Does Not Increase the Risk of Hepatic Arterial Complications in Liver Transplantation: A Single-Center 10-Year Experience.

PURPOSE: To investigate the association between pretransplant intra-arterial liver-directed therapy (IAT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and hepatic arterial complications (HAC) in orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) [namely hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT) and/or the need for hepatic arterial conduit]. METHODS: A total of 175 HCC patients (mean age: 60 years) underwent IAT with either transarterial chemoembolization or yttrium-90 (90Y) transarterial radioembolization prior to OLT between 2003 and 2013. A matched control cohort of 159 HCC patients who underwent OLT without prior IAT was selected. Incidence of HAC in both cohorts was investigated. The categorical differences between both cohorts were calculated by chi-square test. RESULTS: Among the 175 patients (chemoembolization, n = 82; radioembolization, n = 93), 8 (5%) required conduits due to HA disease (chemoembolization, n = 6; radioembolization, n = 2), 3 (2%) developed HAT (chemoembolization, n = 2; radioembolization, n = 1). Eleven of 175 patients (6.7%) had HAC. Of the 159 control patients, 6 (4%) needed conduits for HA disease and 3 (2%) developed HAT. Nine of 159 patients (5.7%) had HAC. Chi-square analysis between the IAT cohort and the control group yielded a p value of 0.810. When comparing chemoembolization to radioembolization, p = 0.076 (not significant at p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Although aggressive pretransplant radioembolization and chemoembolization are both utilized in most liver transplant centers, neither appears to increase the risk of peri-transplant hepatic arterial complications in HCC patients.

Radioembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma: Statistical confirmation of improved survival in responders by landmark analyses.

Does imaging response predict survival in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)? We studied the ability of posttherapeutic imaging response to predict overall survival. Over 14 years, 948 patients with HCC were treated with radioembolization. Patients with baseline metastases, vascular invasion, multifocal disease, Child-Pugh > B7, and transplanted/resected were excluded. This created our homogeneous study cohort of 134 patients with Child-Pugh ≤ B7 and solitary HCC. Response (using European Association for Study of the Liver [EASL] and Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors 1.1 [RECIST 1.1] criteria) was associated with survival using Landmark and risk-of-death methodologies after reviewing 960 scans. In a subanalysis, survival times of responders were compared to those of patients with stable disease (SD) and progressive disease (PD). Uni/multivariate survival analyses were performed at each Landmark. At the 3-month Landmark, responders survived longer than nonresponders by EASL (hazard ratio [HR], 0.46; confidence interval [CI], 0.26-0.82; P = 0.002) but not RECIST 1.1 criteria (HR, 0.70; CI, 0.37-1.32; P = 0.32). At the 6-month Landmark, responders survived longer than nonresponders by EASL (HR, 0.32; CI, 0.15-0.77; P < 0.001) and RECIST 1.1 criteria (HR, 0.50; CI, 0.29-0.87; P = 0.021). At the 12-month Landmark, responders survived longer than nonresponders by EASL (HR, 0.34; CI, 0.15-0.77; P < 0.001) and RECIST 1.1 criteria (HR, 0.52; CI 0.27-0.98; P = 0.049). At 6 months, risk of death was lower for responders by EASL (P < 0.001) and RECIST 1.1 (P = 0.0445). In subanalyses, responders lived longer than patients with SD or PD. EASL response was a significant predictor of survival at 3-, 6-, and 12-month Landmarks on uni/multivariate analyses. CONCLUSION: Response to radioembolization in patients with solitary HCC can prognosticate improved survival. EASL necrosis criteria outperformed RECIST 1.1 size criteria in predicting survival. The therapeutic objective of radioembolization should be radiologic response and not solely to prevent progression. (Hepatology 2018;67:873-883).

Institutional decision to adopt Y90 as primary treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma informed by a 1,000-patient 15-year experience.

Yttrium-90 transarterial radioembolization (TARE) is a locoregional therapy (LRT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we present overall survival (OS) outcomes in a 1,000-patient cohort acquired over a 15-year period. Between December 1, 2003 and March 31, 2017, 1,000 patients with HCC were treated with TARE as part of a prospective cohort study. A comprehensive review of toxicity and survival outcomes was performed. Outcomes were stratified by baseline Child-Pugh (CP) class, United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging systems. Albumin and bilirubin laboratory toxicities were compared to baseline. OS outcomes were reported using censoring and intention-to-treat methodologies. All treatments were outpatient, with a median one treatment per patient. Five hundred six (51%) were CP A, 450 (45%) CP B, and 44 (4%) CP C. Two hundred sixty-three (26%) patients were BCLC A, 152 (15%) B, 541 (54%) C, and 44 (4%) D. Three hundred sixty-eight (37%) were UNOS T1/T2, 169 (17%) T3, 147 (15%) T4a, 223 (22%) T4b, and 93 (9%) N/M. In CP A patients, censored OS for BCLC A was 47.3 (confidence interval [CI], 39.5-80.3) months, BCLC B 25.0 (CI, 17.3-30.5) months, and BCLC C 15.0 (CI, 13.8-17.7) months. In CP B patients, censored OS for BCLC A was 27 (CI, 21-30.2) months, BCLC B 15.0 (CI, 12.3-19.0) months, and BCLC C 8.0 (CI, 6.8-9.5) months. Forty-nine (5%) and 110 (11%) patients developed grade 3/4 albumin and bilirubin toxicities, respectively. CONCLUSION: Based on our experience with 1,000 patients over 15 years, we have made a decision to adopt TARE as the first-line transarterial LRT for patients with HCC. Our decision was informed by prospective data and incrementally reported demonstrating outcomes stratified by BCLC, applied as either neoadjuvant or definitive treatment. (Hepatology 2017).

90Y Radioembolization for Locally Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Portal Vein Thrombosis: Long-Term Outcomes in a 185-Patient Cohort.

We report survival outcomes for patients with advanced-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein thrombosis (PVT) treated with 90Y radioembolization. Methods: With institutional review board approval, we searched our prospectively acquired database for 90Y patients treated between 2003 and 2017. Inclusion criteria were patients who had HCC with tumor PVT. Patients with metastases were excluded. Laboratory data were collected at baseline and 1 mo after 90Y radioembolization. Toxicity grades were reported according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4.0, and long-term survival outcomes were reported and stratified by Child-Pugh class (CP). Overall survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate analysis was performed using Cox proportional hazards regression. A subanalysis for patients with a high level of α-fetoprotein (AFP) (>100 ng/dL) was conducted. Results: In total, 185 patients with HCC PVT underwent 90Y radioembolization. Seventy-four (40%) were CP-A, 51 (28%) were CP-B7, and 60 (32%) were ≥CP-B8. New albumin, bilirubin, and alkaline phosphatase grade 3/4 toxicities were, respectively, 3%, 10%, and 0% for CP-A; 14%, 12%, and 6% for CP-B7; and 23%, 32%, and 3% for ≥CP-B8. Median overall survival for CP-A patients was 13.3 mo (95% confidence interval [CI], 8.7-15.7 mo). CP-B7 and ≥CP-B8 patients exhibited median overall survival of 6.9 mo (95% CI, 5.3-10.1 mo) and 3.9 mo (95% CI, 2.9-5.0 mo), respectively. Significant overall survival prognosticators on univariate analysis were albumin, bilirubin, ascites, tumor size 5 cm or smaller, focality, distribution, infiltration, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group status, AFP level, and PVT extent. Multivariate analysis showed the prognosticators of overall survival to be bilirubin, no ascites, tumor size 5 cm or smaller, solitary lesion, baseline AFP level lower than 100 ng/dL, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group status. Of 123 patients with a high AFP level (>100 ng/dL), 12 patients achieved restored normal AFP levels (<13 ng/dL) and exhibited median overall survival of 23.9 mo (95% CI, 20.1-124.1 mo). AFP responders at 1 mo had better overall survival than nonresponders, at 8.5 mo versus 4.8 mo (P = 0.018); AFP responders at 3 mo had overall survival of 13.3 mo, versus 6.9 mo for nonresponders (P = 0.021). Conclusion:90Y radioembolization can serve as a safe and effective treatment for advanced-stage HCC patients with tumor PVT. Overall survival outcomes are affected by baseline liver function, tumor size, and AFP level.

Pictorial essay: imaging findings following Y90 radiation segmentectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Transarterial radioembolization is a novel therapy that has gained rapid clinical acceptance for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Segmental radioembolization [also termed radiation segmentectomy (RS)] is a technique that can deliver high doses (> 190 Gy) of radiation selectively to the hepatic segment(s) containing the tumor. The aim of this comprehensive review is to provide an illustrative summary of the most relevant imaging findings encountered after radiation segmentectomy. A 62-patient cohort of Child-Pugh A patients with solitary HCC < 5 cm in size was identified. A comprehensive retrospective imaging review was done by interventional radiology staff at our institution. Important imaging findings were reported and illustrated in a descriptive account. For the purposes of completeness, specific patients outside our initial cohort with unique educational imaging features that also underwent segmentectomy were included in this pictorial essay. This review shows that response assessment after RS requires a learning curve with common drawbacks that can lead to false-positive interpretations and secondary unnecessary treatments. It is important to recognize that treatment responses and pathological changes both are time dependent. Findings such as benign geographical enhancement and initial benign pathological enhancement can easily be misinterpreted. Capsular retraction and segmental atrophy are some other examples of unique post-RS response that are not seen in any other treatment.

Clinical outcomes of Y90 radioembolization for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma following curative resection.

PURPOSE: To assess safety/efficacy of yttrium-90 radioembolization (Y90) in patients with recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) following curative surgical resection. METHODS: With IRB approval, we searched our prospectively acquired database for patients that were treated with Y90 for recurrent disease following resection. Baseline characteristics and bilirubin toxicities following Y90 were evaluated. Intention-to-treat overall survival (OS) and time-to-progression (TTP) from Y90 were assessed. RESULTS: Forty-one patients met study inclusion criteria. Twenty-six (63%) patients had undergone minor (≤3 hepatic segments) resection while 15 (37%) patients underwent major (>3 hepatic segments) resections. Two patients (5%) had biliary-enteric anastomoses created during surgical resection. The median time from HCC resection to the first radioembolization was 17 months (95% CI: 13-37). The median number of Y90 treatment sessions was 1 (range: 1-5). Ten patients received (entire remnant) lobar Y90 treatment while 31 patients received selective (≤2 hepatic segments) treatment. Grades 1/2/3/4 bilirubin toxicity were seen in nine (22%), four (10%), four (10%), and zero (0%) patients following Y90. No differences in bilirubin toxicities were identified when comparing lobar with selective approaches (P = 0.20). No post-Y90 infectious complications were identified. Median TTP and OS were 11.3 (CI: 6.5-15.5) and 22.1 months (CI: 10.3-31.3), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Radioembolization is a safe and effective method for treating recurrent HCC following surgical resection, with prolonged TTP and promising survival outcomes.

Comparative study of post-transplant outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with chemoembolization or radioembolization.

PURPOSE: To analyze long-term outcomes in patients bridged/downstaged to orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) by transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) or yttrium-90 radioembolization (Y90) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: 172 HCC patients who underwent OLT after being treated with transarterial liver-directed therapies (LDTs) (Y90: 93; TACE: 79) were identified. Pre-LDT and pre-OLT clinical/imaging/laboratory characteristics including United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) staging and alpha-fetoprotein values (AFP) were tabulated. Post-OLT HCC recurrence was assessed by imaging follow-up per standard of care. Recurrence-free (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated. Uni/multivariate and sub-stratification analyses were performed. RESULTS: Time-to-OLT was longer in the Y90 group (Y90: 6.5 months; TACE: 4.8 months; p=0.02). With a median post-OLT follow-up of 26.1 months (IQR: 11.1-49.7), tumor recurrence was found in 6/79 (8%) TACE and 8/93 (9%) Y90 patients. Time-to-recurrence was 26.6 (CI: 7.0-49.5) and 15.9 months (CI: 7.8-46.8) for TACE and Y90, respectively (p=0.48). RFS (Y90: 79 months; TACE: 77 months; p=0.84) and OS (Y90: 57% alive at 100 months; TACE: 84.2 months; p=0.57) were similar. 54/155 patients (Y90: 29; TACE: 25) were downstaged to UNOS T2 or less. RFS hazard ratios for patients downstaged to ≤T2 versus those that were not were 0.6 (CI: 0.33-1.1) and 1.7 (CI: 0.9-3.1) respectively (p=0.13). 17/155 patients (Y90: 8; TACE: 9) that were >T2 were downstaged to UNOS T2 or less (within transplant criteria). Distribution (unilobar/bilobar), AFP, and pre-transplant UNOS stage affected RFS on univariate analyses. CONCLUSION: Despite longer time-to-OLT for Y90 patients, post-OLT outcomes were similar between patients bridged or downstaged by TACE or Y90. A trend towards improved RFS for downstaged patients was identified.

New Developments in Interventional Oncology: Liver Metastases From Colorectal Cancer.

Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Although hepatic excision is the first-line treatment for colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM), few patients are candidates. Locoregional therapy (LRT) encompasses minimally invasive techniques practiced by interventional radiology. These include ablative treatments (radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation, and cryosurgical ablation) and transcatheter intra-arterial therapy (hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy, transarterial "bland" embolization, transarterial chemoembolization, and radioembolization with yttrium 90). The National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommends LRT for unresectable CRLM refractory to chemotherapy. The following is a review of LRT in CRLM, including salient features, advantages, limitations, current roles, and future considerations.