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Drug-eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization in the treatment for unresectable soft tissue sarcoma refractory to systemic chemotherapy: a preliminary evaluation of efficacy and safety

Abstract

Purpose

To preliminarily evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of drug-eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) for unresectable soft tissue sarcoma refractory to systemic chemotherapy.

Methods

Ten patients with refractory sarcoma who underwent DEB-TACE therapy between January 2015 and January 2017 were identified. Clinical information and radiological data were retrospectively collected to analyze tumor response, overall survival (OS), progression-free survival and adverse events (AEs). Tumor response to DEB-TACE was assessed with modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST) guidelines applied to computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging.

Results

All DEB-TACE procedures were successfully performed for ten patients with 15 tumor lesions. The median follow-up duration was 19 months and the median survival time was 21 months (range 11–30 months). The 1- and 2-year OS rate was 90 and 30%, respectively. According to the guidance of mRECIST, complete response, partial response, stable disease and progressive disease were noted in zero (0%), three (30%), four (40%) and three (30%) patients, respectively. The disease control rate and objective response rate was 70 and 30%, respectively. There were no serious AEs in patients after DEB-TACE.

Conclusions

Our data showed that DEB-TACE was effective and safe for patients with soft tissue sarcoma. Therefore, DEB-TACE can be considered as an alternative treatment option for unresectable soft tissue sarcoma refractory to conventionally systemic chemotherapy.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Grant [2013]163 from the Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Molecular Mechanism and Translational Medicine of Guangzhou Bureau of Science and Information Technology and Grant KLB09001 from the Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Gene Regulation and Target Therapy of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes.

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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lin-feng Xu.

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We declare that we have no conflict of interest.

Funding

This study was funded by the Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Molecular Mechanism and Translational Medicine of Guangzhou Bureau of Science and Information Technology ([2013]163) and the Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Gene Regulation and Target Therapy of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes (KLB09001).

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Ni, Jy., Sun, Hl., Chen, Yt. et al. Drug-eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization in the treatment for unresectable soft tissue sarcoma refractory to systemic chemotherapy: a preliminary evaluation of efficacy and safety. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 144, 157–163 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-017-2530-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-017-2530-3

Keywords

  • Soft tissue sarcoma
  • Drug-eluting bead
  • Transarterial chemoembolization
  • Systemic chemotherapy