Bronchial Arterial Chemoembolization With Drug-eluting Beads Versus With Gelfoam Particles for Advanced Nonsmall-cell Lung Cancer.

Abstract

Background: Bronchial arterial chemoembolization (BACE), as a safe and effective minimally invasive treatment method, is increasingly being accepted by more and more patients with advanced nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In recent years, drug-eluting beads (DEB)-BACE has also been applied in the field of lung cancer. It is still unclear which is more recommended due to the limited number of comparative studies between conventional BACE (C-BACE) and DEB-BACE.

Purpose: To compare the safety and efficacy of C-BACE (BACE with gelfoam particles) and DEB-BACE for advanced NSCLC.

Materials and methods: From January 2021 to April 2023, 48 consecutive patients (37 males and 11 females) with advanced NSCLC treated with DEB-BACE (group A) or C-BACE (group B) at our center were collected retrospectively in this study. There were 18 patients in group A and 30 patients in group B. The technical success rate, adverse events, objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were compared between the 2 groups.

Results: The technical success rate in both groups was 100%. The median OS times were 19.5 months and 12.5 months in group A and group B, respectively (P=0.0062). The median PFS times were 13 months and 7 months in group A and group B, respectively (P=0.0072). The ORRs at 6 months were 72.2% and 46.7% in group A and group B, respectively (P=0.084). The DCRs at 6 months were 88.9% and 63.3% in group A and group B, respectively (P=0.043). Grade 1 adverse events like chest pain, and cough were common, while serious adverse events did not occur.

Conclusions: BACE with DEB or gelfoam particles were equally safe. The DEB-BACE showed better survival and tumor response than C-BACE for advanced NSCLC.