Role of anticancer agents in transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for liver cancers

The authors discuss how they have used Gelfoam soaked in the solution of the anticancer agents for transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TAE) in the treatment of primary and secondary liver carcinoma. To investigate the movement of anticancer agents, the authors injected Gelfoam soaked in Tc-99m pertechnetate or contrast agent. The movement of isotope (12 cases) and contrast agent (22 cases) was checked by scintillation camera and CT. The isotope and contrast agent stayed in the primary or secondary tumor area up to 24 or 48 hours after TAE. In a patient who received hepatectomy 2 days after TAE, the anticancer agents had accumulated in the tumor at a higher concentration