[Interventional therapy of neuroendokrine tumors of the gastrointestinal tract].

Neuroendocrine tumors are rare and slowly progressing malignancies, developing predominantly in the gastrointestinal tract. Thus, symptoms often develop late in patients with advanced disease. In 40-60% of patients, liver metastases are already unresectable and the resultant liver insufficiency is a common cause of death. A more aggressive role by the radiologist in diagnosis and interventional management of liver metastases using transarterial (chemo)embolisation and percutaneous ablation techniques such as using ethanol, laser, and radiofrequency did not seriously interfere with the lifestyle of the patient and improved survival. Due to many variables of the interventional techniques used and due to the low incidence of neuroendocrine tumors, no randomized data is available. However, the low morbidity of interventional management in neuroendocrine liver metastasis allows effective therapy with good palliation.