Hepatic artery embolization for neuroendocrine tumors: postprocedural management and complications

Imaging of Small-Bowel Neuroendocrine Neoplasms: AJR Expert Panel Narrative Review

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) of the small bowel are typically slow-growing lesions that remain asymptomatic until reaching an advanced stage. Imaging modalities for lesion detection, staging, and follow-up in patients with known or suspected NEN include CT enterography, MR enterography, and PET/CT using a somatostatin receptor analog. FDG PET/CT may have a role in the evaluation of poorly differentiated NENs. Liver MRI, ideally with a hepatocyte-specific contrast agent, should be used in the evaluation of hepatic metastases. Imaging informs decisions regarding both surgical approaches and systematic therapy (specifically, peptide receptor radionuclide therapy). This AJR Expert Panel Narrative Review describes the multimodality imaging features of small-bowel NENs; explores the optimal imaging modalities for their diagnosis, staging, and follow-up; and discusses how imaging may be used to guide therapy.

Shifting Paradigms in the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Carcinoid Crisis

Carcinoid crisis is a potentially fatal condition characterized by various symptoms, including hemodynamic instability, flushing, and diarrhea. The incidence of carcinoid crisis is unknown, in part due to inconsistency in definitions across studies. Triggers of carcinoid crisis include general anesthesia and surgical procedures, but drug-induced and spontaneous cases have also been reported. Patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and carcinoid syndrome are at risk for carcinoid crisis. The pathophysiology of carcinoid crisis has been attributed to secretion of bioactive substances, such as serotonin, histamine, bradykinin, and kallikrein by NETs. The somatostatin analog octreotide has been considered the standard of care for carcinoid crisis due to its inhibitory effect on hormone release and relatively fast resolution of carcinoid crisis symptoms in several case studies. However, octreotide's efficacy in the treatment of carcinoid crisis has been questioned. This is due to a lack of a common definition for carcinoid crisis, the heterogeneity in clinical presentation, the paucity of prospective studies assessing octreotide efficacy in carcinoid crisis, and the lack of understanding of the pathophysiology of carcinoid crisis. These issues challenge the classical physiologic model of carcinoid crisis and its common etiology with carcinoid syndrome and raise questions regarding the utility of somatostatin analogs in its treatment. As surgical procedures and invasive liver-directed therapies remain important treatment modalities in patients with NETs, the pathophysiology of carcinoid crisis, potential benefits of octreotide, and efficacy of alternative treatment modalities must be studied prospectively to develop an effective evidence-based treatment strategy for carcinoid crisis.

A case of metastatic neuroendocrine disease and cholecystitis: surgical remedy and management of carcinoid crisis

The report presents a case of a 70-year-old male with a known mesenteric neuroendocrine tumour and metastases to the liver diagnosed with acute cholecystitis. During surgery, the patient developed a carcinoid crisis with mixed distributive and cardiogenic shock involving systemic vasodilation and arrhythmia. During surgical procedures, carcinoid crisis can be precipitated by tumours that secrete a pathological shower of vasoactive mediators. Somatostatin analogues are utilized to control carcinoid syndrome and are routinely used peri-operatively. However, no standard infusion regimen exists. The case raises the suggestion that metastatic liver neuroendocrine disease may confound the diagnosis of cholecystitis, complicates the management of acute surgical presentations and highlights the need for agreement on octreotide therapy for surgical patients with carcinoid tumours.

Percutaneous Image-Guided Core Needle Biopsy of Neuroendocrine Tumors: How Common Is Intraprocedural Carcinoid Crisis?

PURPOSE

To retrospectively evaluate the incidence of carcinoid crisis, other complications, and physiologic disturbances during percutaneous image-guided core needle biopsy of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) in the lung and the liver.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between January 2010 and January 2020, 106 computed tomography (CT) or ultrasound (US)-guided core needle biopsies of lung and liver NETs were performed in 95 consecutive adult patients. The mean age was 64 ± 13 years, and 48% were female. The small bowel was the most common primary site (33%, 31/95), and 32 (34%) patients had pre-existing symptoms of carcinoid syndrome. The mean tumor size was 3.2 ± 2.6 cm, and mean number of passes was 3.4 ± 1.6. A 17/18-gauge needle was used in 91% (96/106) of the biopsies. Thirteen (12%) patients received either outpatient or prophylactic octreotide.

RESULTS

No patients experienced carcinoid crisis or needed octreotide, inotropes, vasopressors, or resuscitation. A single biopsy procedure (0.9%, 1/106) was complicated by bleeding that required angiographic hepatic artery embolization. Changes in pre-biopsy- versus post-biopsy systolic blood pressure and heart rate were -1.6 mm Hg (P = .390) and 0.6 beat/min (P = .431), respectively. Tumor functional status, overall tumor burden, and the elevation of neuroendocrine markers were not associated with intraprocedural physiologic disturbances. There were 4 minor complications (0.4%, 4/106) associated with the biopsy procedure that were not attributed to hormone excretion from tumor manipulation.

CONCLUSIONS

Percutaneous image-guided core biopsy of NETs is safe, with low complication rate and no definite carcinoid crisis in the current cohort.

Liver Embolisation for Patients with Neuroendocrine Neoplasms: Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Liver embolisation is one of the treatment options available for patients diagnosed with neuro-endocrine neoplasms (NEN). It is still uncertain whether the benefits of the various types of embolisation treatments truly outweigh the complications in NENs. This systematic review assesses the available data relating to liver embolisation in patients with NENs.

METHODS

Eligible studies (identified using MEDLINE-PubMed) were those reporting data on NEN patients who had undergone any type of liver embolisation. The primary end points were best radiological response and symptomatic response; secondary end-points included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and toxicity.

RESULTS

Of 598 studies screened, 101 were eligible: 16 were prospective (15.8%). The eligible studies included a total of 5,545 NEN patients, with a median of 39 patients per study (range 5-214). Pooled rate of partial response was 36.6% (38.9% achieved stable disease) and 55.2% of patients had a symptomatic response to therapy when pooled data were analysed. The median PFS and OS were 18.4 months (95% CI 15.5-21.2) and 40.7 months (95% CI 35.2-46.2) respectively. The most common toxicities were found to be abdominal pain (48.8%) and nausea (48.1%). Outcome did not significantly vary depending on the type of embolisation performed.

CONCLUSION

Liver embolisation provides adequate symptom relief for patients with carcinoid syndrome and is also able to reach partial response in a significant proportion of patients and a reasonable PFS. Quality of studies was limited, highlighting the need of further prospective studies to confirm the most suitable form of liver embolisation in NENs.

Liver-Directed Therapy for Neuroendocrine Tumor Liver Metastases in the Era of Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy

Neuroendocrine tumor liver metastases are treated by a multidisciplinary cohort of physicians that work together to achieve optimal clinical results for their patients. This review addresses critical concepts in diagnosis and workup of such patients followed by medical, surgical, and liver-directed arterial and ablative therapies. Specific perioperative care for these patients is crucial in avoiding dreaded complications related to Carcinoid Crisis. The recent introduction of Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy as a therapeutic option has impacted some of the algorithms for timing and selection of arterial embolotherapies.

Interventional Liver-Directed Therapy for Neuroendocrine Metastases: Current Status and Future Directions

OPINION STATEMENT

Liver-directed therapy should be considered for patients with unresectable liver metastases from neuroendocrine tumor if symptomatic or progressing despite medical management. Our experience and current literature shows that the bland embolization, chemoembolization, and radioembolization are very effective in controlling symptoms and disease burden in the liver, and that these embolization modalities are similar in terms of efficacy and radiologic response. Their safety profiles differ, however, with recent studies suggesting an increase in biliary toxicity with drug-eluting bead chemoembolization over conventional chemoembolization, and a risk of long-term hepatotoxicity with radioembolization. For this reason, we tailor the type of embolotherapy to each patient according to their clinical status, symptoms, degree of tumor burden, histologic grade, and life expectancy. We do not recommend a "one-size-fits-all" approach. Our general strategy is to use bland embolization as first-line embolotherapy, and radioembolization for patients with high-grade tumors or who have failed other embolotherapy.

Periprocedural Management of Patients Undergoing Liver Resection or Embolotherapy for Neuroendocrine Tumor Metastases

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to describe the periprocedural management of patients with well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors with hepatic metastases who underwent liver-directed procedures.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective review of patients with metastatic neuroendocrine tumors who underwent liver resection, ablation, or embolotherapy at a single center from 2012 to 2016. The primary outcome was occurrence of documented carcinoid crisis (CC) or hemodynamic instability (HDI), defined as 10 minutes or more of systolic blood pressure less than 80 or greater than 180 mm Hg, or pulse greater than 120 beats per minute.

RESULTS

We identified 75 patients who underwent liver resection/ablation (n = 38) or embolotherapy (n = 37). Twenty-four patients (32%) experienced CC or HDI (CC/HDI); CC occurred in 3 patients. No clinicopathologic or procedural factors, including procedure type, octreotide or long-acting somatostatin analog use, and history of carcinoid syndrome, were associated with CC/HDI. Grades 2 to 4 complications were reported in 42% of patients who experienced CC/HDI versus in 16% of patients who did not experience CC/HDI (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

A significant portion of patients developed CC/HDI, and these patients were more likely to develop severe postprocedural complications. Periprocedural octreotide use was not associated with lower CC/HDI occurrence, but continued use is advised given its safety profile until additional studies definitively demonstrate lack of benefit.

Tumor Lysis Syndrome after Hepatic Artery Embolization in a Patient with Neuroendocrine Tumor of Unknown Primary

While tumor lysis syndrome is a relatively common oncologic emergency that may occur spontaneously or resulting from cancer directed therapy, it is relatively unusual occurrence in solid tumors, especially neuroendocrine tumors. It is also particularly rare after hepatic trans-arterial embolization. We report a case of a 60-year-old man who had hepatic trans-arterial embolization for metastatic neuroendocrine tumor of the liver of unknown primary, who developed tumor lysis along with post-embolization syndrome. He received aggressive intravenous fluid resuscitation, allopurinol and rasburicase for his tumor lysis syndrome but subsequently had acute renal failure for which he underwent renal replacement therapy. The patient responded well to treatment with complete resolution of his post-embolization syndrome, tumor lysis syndrome and acute renal failure. Our case report highlights the need to consider tumor lysis syndrome in solid tumors. It should be readily recognized and treated given the associated high risk of morbidity and mortality.

Prevention and management of carcinoid crises in patients with high-risk neuroendocrine tumours undergoing peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT): Literature review and case series from two Australian tertiary medical institutions

Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) is an important therapeutic option for somatostatin receptor (SSTR) positive metastatic and/or inoperable neuroendocrine tumours (NETs). However, in patients with poorly controlled carcinoid syndrome, it may lead to an acute flare of carcinoid symptoms or even carcinoid crisis. We report seven patients who received PRRT with (¹⁷⁷Lu-DOTA⁰, Tyr³) octreotate (¹⁷⁷Lu-octreotate-LuTate) across two Australian tertiary medical institutions who developed acute flare of carcinoid symptoms/carcinoid crisis during/after PRRT. Cases were identified as high-risk due to previous history of carcinoid crises, high tumour burden and markedly elevated tumour markers. We propose a protocol to prevent and manage severe carcinoid symptoms in high-risk patients treated with PRRT.

Liver transarterial embolizations in metastatic neuroendocrine tumors

The management of patients with well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NET) and non-resectable liver metastases is challenging. Liver-directed transarterial embolization (TAE), transarterial chemo-embolization (TACE) and selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) have a place of choice among other treatment modalities. However, their utilization relies on a low level of proof, due to the lack of prospective data, the absence of comparative studies and considerable heterogeneity between local practices. TAE and TACE generally achieve average symptomatic, biological and radiological responses of 75%, 56% and 50%, with progression-free survival of 12-18 months, with acceptable tolerance. Although not clearly demonstrated, TACE may be more effective than TAE in pancreatic NET, but not in small-intestine NET. SIRT has been developed more recently and may achieve similar results, with improved tolerance, but decreased cost-effectiveness, although no prospective comparison has been published to date. There is currently no strong argument to choose between TAE, TACE and SIRT, and they have not been compared to other treatment modalities. The evaluation of their efficacy has mostly relied on criteria based on size variations, which do not take into account tumor viability and metabolism, and thus may not be relevant. These techniques may be especially effective when performed as first-line therapies, in patients with non-major liver involvement (<75%) and with hypervascular metastases. Finally, studies exploring their combination with systemic therapies are ongoing.

Radioembolization with 90Y glass microspheres for the treatment of unresectable metastatic liver disease from chemotherapy-refractory gastrointestinal cancers: final report of a prospective pilot study

BACKGROUND

This prospective pilot single-institution study was undertaken to document the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of radioembolization of liver-dominant metastatic gastrointestinal cancer using ⁹⁰Y glass microspheres.

METHODS

Between June 2010 and October 2013, 42 adult patients (26 men, 16 women; median age 60 years) with metastatic chemotherapy-refractory unresectable colorectal (n=21), neuroendocrine (n=11), intrahepatic bile duct (n=7), pancreas (n=2), and esophageal (n=1) carcinomas underwent 60 lobar or segmental administrations of ⁹⁰Y glass microspheres. Data regarding clinical and laboratory adverse events (AE) were collected prospectively for up to 5.5 years after radioembolization. Radiographic responses were evaluated using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST), version 1.1. Time to maximum response, response duration, progression-free survival (PFS) (hepatic and extrahepatic), and overall survival (OS) were measured.

RESULTS

Median target dose and activity were 109.4 Gy and 2.6 GBq per treatment session, respectively. Majority of clinical AE were grade 1 or 2 in severity. Patients with colorectal cancer had hepatic objective response rate (ORR) of 25% and a hepatic disease control rate (DCR) of 80%. Median PFS and OS were 1.0 and 4.4 months, respectively. Patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NET) had hepatic ORR and DCR of 73% and 100%, respectively. Median PFS was 8.9 months for this cohort. DCR and median PFS and OS for patients with cholangiocarcinoma were 86%, 1.1 months, and 6.7 months, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

⁹⁰Y glass microspheres device has a favorable safety profile, and achieved prolonged disease control of hepatic tumor burden in a subset of patients, including all patients enrolled in the neuroendocrine cohort.

Era of a Single Population-Based Payment to a Cancer Center: Delivering the Value of Interventional Oncology in Accountable Care Organizations

To curtail increasing health care costs, the government has ushered in the era of the Accountable care organization (ACO). The purposes of this review are to evaluate the effects the ACO will have on the practice of interventional oncology and its role in cancer care and to explore methods to assimilate. Proposed action points include integration into the modern-day cancer center, adoption of an outpatient clinic, mandatory performance measures, and workflow and cost analysis. If adaptations are made, interventional oncology can continue its role in cancer treatment, will provide more effective care, and reach more patients in the new ACO.

Elevated Alkaline Phosphatase Prior to Transarterial Chemoembolization for Neuroendocrine Tumors Predicts Worse Outcomes

INTRODUCTION

We hypothesized that an elevated preoperative alkaline phosphatase (AP) predicted worse outcomes for patients undergoing transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for neuroendocrine tumor (NET) liver metastases.

METHODS

We reviewed all patients who underwent TACE for metastatic NET between 2009 and 2013. Survival was evaluated using preprocedure variables.

RESULTS

One hundred and nine patients underwent 210 TACE procedures. The average age was 57.7 years (range 20-78). Primary sites included pancreas (N = 20), other gastrointestinal (N = 52), lung (N = 9), and unknown (N = 28). The tumor was grade 1 in 68 (62 %), grade 2 in 21 (19 %), and grade 3 in 3 (3 %). Extrahepatic disease was present in 54 (50 %) and greater than 50 % hepatic tumor burden by imaging in 63 (58 %). Elevated bilirubin occurred in 8 (7 %), elevated AP in 22 (20 %), elevated ALT in 21 (19 %), and elevated AST in 41 (38 %). Univariate predictors included tumor grade (43 vs 27 vs 21 months, p = 0.015), hepatic tumor burden (59 vs 37 months, p = 0.009), and elevated AP (59 vs 23 months, p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, only elevated AP (p = 0.001) predicted worse survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated AP prior to TACE for metastatic NET portends a worse survival outcome, even more so than tumor grade or extent of hepatic disease.

Embolization of metastatic neuroendocrine tumor resulting in clinical manifestations of syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone

Complications after hepatic artery embolization are usually minor and transient. This report describes a patient with a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor with hepatic metastases who repeatedly developed clinical findings of syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone with hyponatremia (sodium < 130 mEq/L), low plasma osmolarity (< 275 mOsm/kg), and high urine osmolarity (> 500 mOsm/kg) after every session of hepatic artery embolization.

Somatostatin analogues do not prevent carcinoid crisis

BACKGROUND

Carcinoid crisis is a life-threatening syndrome of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) characterized by dramatic blood pressure fluctuation, arrhythmias, and bronchospasm. In the era of booming anti-tumor therapeutics, this has become more important since associated stresses can trigger carcinoid crisis. Somatostatin analogues (SSTA) have been recommended for prophylactic administration before intervention procedures for functioning NETs. However, the efficacy is still controversial. The aim of this article is to review efficacy of SSTA for preventing carcinoid crisis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

PubMed, Cochrane Controlled trials Register, and EMBASE were searched using 'carcinoid crisis' as a search term combining terms with 'somatostatin'; 'octreotide'; 'lanreotide' and 'pasireotide' until December 2013.

RESULTS

Twenty-eight articles were retrieved with a total of fifty-three unique patients identified for carcinoid crisis. The most common primary sites of NETs were the small intestine and respiratory tract. The triggering factors for carcinoid crisis included anesthesia/ surgery (63.5%), interventional therapy (11.5%), radionuclide therapy (9.6%), examination (7.7%), medication (3.8%), biopsy (2%) and spontaneous (2%). No randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified and two case-control studies were included to assess the efficacy of SSTA for preventing carcinoid crisis by meta-analysis. The overall pooled risk of perioperative carcinoid crisis was similar despite the prophylactic administration of SSTA (OR 0.44, 95% CI: 0.14 to 1.35, p=0.15).

CONCLUSIONS

SSTA was not helpful for preventing carcinoid crisis based on a meta-analysis of retrospective studies. Attentive monitoring and careful intervention are essential. Future studies with better quality are needed to clarify any effect of SSTA for preventing carcinoid crisis.

A review on management discussions of small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors ‘midgut carcinoids’

European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society staging, together with the Ki67 grading system, has appeared as superior for classification of neuroendocrine tumors (NET). The management of small intestinal NET (SI-NET) has been overall controversial. Mesenteric metastases occur also with the smallest SI-NET, and the majority of patients risk to ultimately progress with liver metastases. 68Gallium (somatostatin receptor)/PET/CT has appeared as most sensitive for imaging, and fluorodeoxyglucose-PET is recommended to identify lesions with high proliferation. Our treatment policy for SI-NET is to initiate somatostatin analog treatment, and in order to prevent abdominal complications we recommend early intestinal resection for removal of primary tumors and clearance of lymph node metastases. Liver metastases are liberally treated by resection (or ablation), as this can efficiently palliate carcinoid syndrome-associated symptoms.

Therapy for metastatic pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) are frequently malignant (50-80%, except for insulinoma) and may show an aggressive course with metastases to the liver as well as more distant sites. These heterogeneous neoplasms include functioning tumors, which secrete a variety of peptide hormones, and non-functioning tumors (up to 90% of pNETs), which often show metastases at the time of diagnosis.

METHODS

A PubMed search was performed for English-language publications from 1995 through December 2012. Reference lists from studies selected were manually searched to identify further relevant reports. Manuscripts comparing different therapeutic options and advances for metastatic pNETs were selected.

RESULTS

The therapeutic options for metastatic pNETs are expanding and include surgery, which remains the only curative approach, liver-directed therapies, and medical therapy. In selected cases also liver transplantation (OLT) may be considered. The option of OLT for metastatic disease is unique to neuroendocrine tumors. Recently, novel promising targeted therapies have been proposed for progressive well-differentiated pNETs.

CONCLUSIONS

The best therapeutic approach for pNETs is still matter of debating. However, since pNETs often show a more indolent behavior compared to other malignancies, the preservation of the quality of life of the patient and the personalization of the therapy according to tumor's and patient's features are mandatory.

Therapy of metastatic pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs): recent insights and advances

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) [carcinoids, pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs)] are becoming an increasing clinical problem because not only are they increasing in frequency, but they can frequently present with advanced disease that requires diagnostic and treatment approaches different from those used in the neoplasms that most physicians are used to seeing and treating. In the past few years there have been numerous advances in all aspects of NETs including: an understanding of their unique pathogenesis; specific classification systems developed which have prognostic value; novel methods of tumor localization developed; and novel treatment approaches described. In patients with advanced metastatic disease these include the use of newer chemotherapeutic approaches, an increased understanding of the role of surgery and cytoreductive methods, the development of methods for targeted delivery of cytotoxic agents, and the development of targeted medical therapies (everolimus, sunitinib) based on an increased understanding of the disease biology. Although pNETs and gastrointestinal NETs share many features, recent studies show they differ in pathogenesis and in many aspects of diagnosis and treatment, including their responsiveness to different therapies. Because of limited space, this review will be limited to the advances made in the management and treatment of patients with advanced metastatic pNETs over the past 5 years.