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Clinical efficacy of CT-guided iodine-125 seed implantation therapy in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer

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  • Published:
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Abstract

Objective

To examine the clinical efficacy of CT-guided radioactive iodine-125 (125I) seeds implantation treatment in patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer.

Methods

Thirty-one patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer were enrolled in this study. The 125I seeds were implanted into pancreatic tumor under CT guidance. In addition, 10 patients received routine gemcitabine and 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy 1 week after brachytherapy. Median diameter of the tumor was 5.8 cm.

Results

Follow-up period was 2 to 25 months. Symptoms of refractory pain were significantly resolved post-interventionally (P < 0.05), and Karnofsky physical score increased dramatically (P < 0.05). Tumor response which was demonstrated on repeated CT film 2 months post-treatment revealed complete response (CR) in 3 cases, partial response (PR) in 16 cases, stable disease (SD) in 9 cases, and progressive disease (PD) in 3 cases. Overall responding rate (CR+PR) was 61.3%. Median survival time for all patients was 10.31 months. Two seeds of radioactive 125I migrated to the liver in 2 patients. There were no serious complications detected during the follow-up period.

Conclusions

This study suggests that CT-guided brachytherapy using 125I seeds implantation appears to be safe, effective, uncomplicated, and could produce adequate pain relief for treating unresectable pancreatic cancer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Radiation Medicine and Public Health, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China

    Wang Zhongmin & Liu Fenju

  2. Shanghai Ruijin Hospital Luwan Branch, Shanghai, 200020, China

    Wang Zhongmin

  3. Department of Radiology, Shanghai Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai, 200025, China

    Liu Yu & Chen Kemin

  4. Nuclear Medicine, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200025, China

    Huang Gang

  5. 199 Ren Ai Road, Suzhou industrial Park, Suzhou, China

    Liu Fenju

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  1. Wang Zhongmin
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  2. Liu Yu
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  3. Liu Fenju
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  4. Chen Kemin
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  5. Huang Gang
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Correspondence to Liu Fenju.

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Zhongmin, W., Yu, L., Fenju, L. et al. Clinical efficacy of CT-guided iodine-125 seed implantation therapy in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Eur Radiol 20, 1786–1791 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-009-1703-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-009-1703-0

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