Background: Y90 transarterial radioembolization (Y90-RE) may improve clinical outcomes of unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC); however, the optimal timing for Y90-RE is still debated. The purpose of this multicenter study was to retrospectively evaluate clinical outcomes of RE in patients with unresectable ICC, comparing three different settings: chemotherapy naïve patients (group A), patients with disease control after first-line chemotherapy (group B) and patients with progression after first-line chemotherapy (group C).
Materials and methods: The study included 81 consecutive patients (49 male, mean age 62.4 ± 11.8 years): 35 (43.2%) patients were in group A, 19 (23.5%) in group B, and 27 (33.3%) in group C. Preprocedural clinical variables, tumour response according to RECIST 1.1 and overall survival (OS) were analysed and compared.
Results: Baseline demographic and clinical features did not differ significantly among groups, with the exception of prior surgical procedures that were significantly higher in group C patients, and macrovascular invasion that was more frequent in group B. Radiological response was available in 79 patients; objective response and disease control rates were 41.8% and 83.6%, respectively, without significant differences among groups. Median OS was 14.5 months (95% CI: 11.1-16.9) and was not significantly different among treatment groups. At multivariate analysis, tumour burden > 50%, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (N/L) ratio ≥ 3 and radiological progression as best response resulted to be significant (P < 0.05) independent factors, negatively associated with OS.
Conclusion: Y90-RE is a valuable treatment option in unresectable ICC, irrespectively from the timing of treatment. Tumour extension, N/L ratio and radiological response affect post-treatment survival.
Keywords: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma; Survival; Therapeutic embolization; Yttrium-90.