Background/aims: The investigation of post embolization syndrome (PES) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after treatment with doxorubicin loaded DC Bead (DEB-DOX).
Methodology: The study included 237 patients treated with sequential DEB-TACE performed at set time intervals every two months until 3 sessions/6 month f-u. Patients were ECOG 0-1, Child-Stage-A (n=116, 48.9%) and B (n=121, 51%). Embolizations were as selective as possible with DC Bead of 100-300µm in diameter followed by 300-500µm loaded with doxorubicin at 37.5mg/mL of hydrated bead (max:150mg).
Results: PES regardless of severity was observed in up to 86.5%. However grade 2 PES ranged between 25% and 42.19% across treatments. Temperatures above 38°C were seen in 22.7% to 38.3% across treatments. No statistically significant increase of PES was seen in beads of 100-300µm in diameter; incidence of fever and pain presented correlation with the extent of embolization (p=0.0001-0.006 across treatments). Baseline tumor diameter was associated with incidence of fever (p=0.0001-0.001). Duration of fever correlated with the extent of embolization (p=0.008). PES was not associated with elevation of liver enzymes and was correlated with degree of necrosis (p<0.001).
Conclusions: PES after DEB-DOX represents tumor response to treatment and does not represent collateral healthy liver damage.