Clinical efficacy of CT-guided iodine-125 seed implantation therapy in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the clinical efficacy of CT-guided radioactive iodine-125 (125I) seeds implantation treatment in patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

Thirty-one patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer were enrolled in this study. The 125I seeds were implanted into pancreatic tumor under CT guidance. In addition, 10 patients received routine gemcitabine and 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy 1 week after brachytherapy. Median diameter of the tumor was 5.8 cm.

RESULTS

Follow-up period was 2 to 25 months. Symptoms of refractory pain were significantly resolved post-interventionally (P < 0.05), and Karnofsky physical score increased dramatically (P < 0.05). Tumor response which was demonstrated on repeated CT film 2 months post-treatment revealed complete response (CR) in 3 cases, partial response (PR) in 16 cases, stable disease (SD) in 9 cases, and progressive disease (PD) in 3 cases. Overall responding rate (CR+PR) was 61.3%. Median survival time for all patients was 10.31 months. Two seeds of radioactive 125I migrated to the liver in 2 patients. There were no serious complications detected during the follow-up period.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that CT-guided brachytherapy using 125I seeds implantation appears to be safe, effective, uncomplicated, and could produce adequate pain relief for treating unresectable pancreatic cancer.