J Korean Pediatr Soc.  2000 Aug;43(8):1098-1105.

Effectiveness of Preoperative Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization in Hepatoblastoma

• Hwang PH
• Jo DS
• Lee DY
• Kim JS

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE) as a preoperative treatment for initially unresectable hepatoblastomas.
METHODS
From January 1995 to July 1999, we identified two boys and three girls(age range: 5- 27 months; mean age: 12 months) with pathologically-confirmed hepatoblastoma. To assess response to treatment, we utilized an identical TACE procedure for all the patients. A second TACE procedure was performed 3 weeks after the first TACE procedure and patients underwent tumor resection approximately 1 month following the second TACE procedure. The therapeutic responses to TACE were assessed by measuring of tumor size, shape, observation of tumor properties using abdominal computed tomography(CT), gross and microscopic pathologic findings, levels of alpha- feto protein(AFP) and clinical adverse events to TACE.
RESULTS
In these patients, hepatoblastomas showed marked reductions in tumor size. Massive tumor necrosis and homogeneous distribution of lipiodol created a clear margin bordered by surrounding normal liver tissue. At initial diagnosis, the mean AFP leve1=867Ang/mL, 47.4ng/mL after second TACE, and 8.6ng/mL at 6 months after surgical resection. Transient fever was ob- served following TACE and elevations of levels of AST and ALT were observed but these normalized 2 weeks following TACE. No major complications were associated with TACE.
CONCLUSION
We suggest that preoperative TACE is an effective, safe, and useful method for patients with initially unresectable hepatoblastoma.

Keyword

Hepatoblastoma; Transcathter arterial chemoembolization(TACE)

MeSH Terms

Diagnosis
Ethiodized Oil
Fever
Hepatoblastoma*
Humans
Liver
Necrosis
Ethiodized Oil