Abstract
Background
To investigate the short-term efficacy and safety of drug-eluting bead transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) using CalliSpheres® microspheres in the treatment of unresectable locally advanced breast cancer (LABC).
Methods
DEB-TACE using CSM was performed in 15 patients with LABC after failure of medical treatment. The efficacy was evaluated based on the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST). The postoperative adverse reactions and complications were analyzed. The changes of white blood cell (WBC) count, creatine kinase isoenzyme-MB (CK-MB), B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), and carbohydrate antigen15-3 (CA15-3) before and after treatment were compared by using Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
Results
The surgeries were successful in all patients. The subjects were followed up for 2-60 months (median: 10 months). According to the mRECIST, no patient achieved complete remission (CR) 1, 3, and 5 months after surgery, and partial response (PR) was achieved in 9, 11, and 11 cases; also, there were 6, 4, and 2 stable disease (SD) cases, and 0, 0, and 2 progressive disease (PD) cases. The postoperative WBC count, CK-MB level, and BNP level were not significantly different from those before surgery, whereas the CA15-3 level significantly decreased. The main postoperative adverse reactions were pain, fever, and gastrointestinal reactions. No severe adverse reactions were observed.
Conclusions
DEB-TACE with CalliSpheres® microspheres is a safe and feasible treatment for LABC. However, more multi-center studies with larger sample sizes are still warranted.
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