THE VALUE OF EMBOLIZATION THERAPY IN PAINFUL OSSEOUS METASTASES FROM HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMAS - COMPARATIVE-STUDY WITH RADIATION-THERAPY

We evaluated the therapeutic effect of transcatheter arterial emboliza tion therapy (TAE) for painful osseous metastases from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in comparison with radiation therapy (RT). TAE using g elatin sponge particles was performed for seven lesions in seven patie nts. Selective catheterization and embolization were successfully perf ormed in all lesions. Within 10 days after TAE, complete pain relief ( CR), partial relief(PR) and no relief(NR) were attained in 57%, 29% an d 14%, respectively. RT was used to treat 34 lesions in 22 patients. T he dose fractionation schedules were in the range 28.0-50.4 Gy, with 1 .8-4.0 Gy per fraction. CR: PR and NR were attained in 47%, 47% and 6% , respectively. There were no serious complications related to these t reatments. Both TAE and RT are effective and the treatment of choice s hould be selected on an individual basis.