A Case of Liver Metastasis from Gastric Cancer Resposive to Intra-arterial Chemoembolization with Degradable Starch Microspheres, allowing Distal Gastrectomy and Left Trisegmentectomy of the Liver

Sohei Matsumoto, Saiho Ko, Masato Ueno, Kohei Wakatsuki, Koji Enomoto, Mitsuo Hino¹⁾, Takashi Nishiwada²⁾, Masayoshi Ueno²⁾, Yoshikazu Tsurui²⁾ and Yoshiyuki Nakajima

Department of Surgery and Department of Hospital Pharmacy¹⁾, Nara Medical University
Department of Surgery, Heisei Memorial Hospital²⁾

The prognosis of liver metastasis from gastric cancer is dismal and no effective therapy exixts. We report such a case treated by intra-arterial chemoembolization using degradable starch microspheres (DSM) and intraarterial chemotherapy enabling distal gastrectomy and left trisegmentectomy of the liver. A 67-year-old man seen for general fatigue was found in upper GI endoscopy to have type 3 gastric cancer of the gastric antrum, abdominal CT showed a large metastatic tumor of the liver, invading the right hepatic vein, making curative resection difficult. Intrahepatic arterial chemoembolization using DSM and intraarterial chemotherapy was performed the liver tumor markedky reduced, enabling distal gastrectomy and left trisegmentectomy of the liver. The patient remains alive 18 months after operation. Our findings suggest that chemoembolization using DSM and intraarterial chemotherapy can be effective in the treatment of liver metastasis from gastric cancer.

Key words
gastric cancer, liver metastasis, degradable starch microspheres

Reprint requests
Sohei Matsumoto Department of Surgery, Nara Medical University
840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, 634-8522 JAPAN

Accepted
February 20, 2008

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