Jonathan Kessler

Emergent Image-Guided Treatments in the Cancer Patient

Modern advances in medical imaging and minimally invasive technologies have led to the development of a variety of image-guided procedures used in the treatment of numerous oncologic conditions. In all settings, the minimally invasive nature of these procedures benefits patients by reducing the pain and trauma encountered with traditional open surgeries while allowing for more rapid recovery and return to normal function.

Outcomes of Salvage Percutaneous Biliary Drainage after Occlusion of Endoscopic Stents

PURPOSE To describe outcomes of patients with malignant biliary obstruction who undergo salvage percutaneous biliary drainage after occlusion of endoscopic biliary stents. MATERIALS AND METHODS A single-center retrospective review was performed of 47 patients (25 men, 22 women) who underwent percutaneous biliary drainage for recurrent obstruction after endoscopic stent placement between 2005 and 2015. Primary malignancies were bile duct (n = 13), colorectal (n = 11), gallbladder (n = 7), pancreas (n = 5), hepatocellular (n = 4), and other (n = 7). Indication for salvage drain placement was infection (n = 19) and jaundice or need to decrease bilirubin (n = 28). Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression methods were used for survival analysis. Logistic and multivariate regressions were employed to identify factors associated with survival. RESULTS Median survival after salvage biliary drain placement was 1.8 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3-2.7). Elevated international normalized ratio (INR) ≥ 1.5 before drainage was associated with poorer survival after drainage (median survival 0.7 months vs 2.4 months, P < .01). Median survival was shorter in 28 patients (64%) with bilirubin ≤ 2 mg/dL (34.2 µmol/L) after drainage (1.2 months vs 5.4 months, P < .001). Left-sided drain placement, elevated bilirubin, and elevated INR correlated with decreased likelihood of achieving bilirubin ≤ 2 mg/dL (34.2 µmol/L) (odds ratio [OR] 0.13, 95% CI, 0.02-0.71, P = .02; OR 0.18, 95% CI, 0.05-0.69, P = .01; OR 0.10, 95% CI, 0.01-0.90, P = .04). CONCLUSIONS Survival is limited for most patients who undergo salvage percutaneous biliary drainage. Elevated bilirubin and INR before drainage portend a poor prognosis.

A single institute retrospective trial of concurrent chemotherapy with SIR-Sphere versus SIR-Sphere alone in patients with chemotherapy-resistant colorectal cancer liver metastases.

770 Background: The use of selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) with SIR-Spheres in chemotherapy-resistant colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRC-L) has been associated with favorable progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) when given alone or concurrently with chemotherapy. However, no prospective studies exist for concurrent SIRT and chemotherapy (SIRT-CT) vs. SIRT alone. We conducted a single institute retrospective trial to compare the effect of SIRT-CT to SIRT alone on liver PFS in patients with CRC-L. Methods: Patients (pts) with CRC-L treated with SIR-Spheres at City of Hope between 2009 and 2014 were identified. CRL-L patients treated with SIRT-CT or with SIRT were excluded if they received, following radioembolization, any chemotherapy/targeted regimen on which they did not previously progress. This strategy was adopted to minimize the impact of post-SIRT systemic therapy bias on SIRT-CT/SIRT liver PFS outcome. Pts characteristics included demographics, liver involvement...