Hepatic artery embolization for liver metastasis of gastrointestinal stromal tumor following imatinib and sunitinib therapy.

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to determine the efficacy of hepatic artery embolization (HAE) as a therapy for gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) in patients who are refractory to imatinib and sunitinib.

Methods: After institutional review board approval, a retrospective review revealed 11 patients with GIST metastatic to the liver who underwent 15 HAEs between February 2002 and May 2013. These patients were stratified into two groups according to the previous treatment: (a) those treated with HAE as second-line treatment after failing first-line imatinib (n = 3) and (b) those treated with HAE as third-line therapy after failing first-line imatinib and second-line sunitinib (n = 8).

Pattern of retained contrast on immediate postprocedure computed tomography (CT) after particle embolization of liver tumors predicts subsequent treatment response.

Purpose: To determine if the pattern of retained contrast on immediate postprocedure computed tomography (CT) after particle embolization of hepatic tumors predicts modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST) response.

Materials And Methods: This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board with a waiver of authorization. One hundred four liver tumors were embolized with spherical embolic agents (Embospheres, Bead Block, LC Bead) and polyvinyl alcohol.

Ki-67 is a prognostic biomarker of survival after radiofrequency ablation of liver malignancies.

Purpose: To assess the predictive value of examinations of tissue adherent to multitined electrodes on local tumor progression-free survival (LPFS) and overall survival (OS) after liver tumor radiofrequency ablation (RFA).

Methods: An institutional review board-approved, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant review identified 68 liver tumors treated with RFA in 63 patients with at least 3 years' follow-up. Tissue adherent to the electrode after liver tumor RFA was evaluated with proliferation (Ki-67) and apoptotic (caspase-3) markers.

Current management of pyogenic liver abscess: surgery is now second-line treatment.

Background: The objective of this study was to examine the current treatment for liver abscess and to assess the factors associated with failure of percutaneous drainage.

Study Design: Records of 58 patients with pyogenic hepatic abscess, from 1998 to 2009, were examined. Clinicopathologic variables were analyzed as predictors of failure of percutaneous drainage using multivariable logistic regression.