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According to Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer classification, transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is preferred treatment for stage B and in certain cases for stage A hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Conventional TACE (c-TACE) and drug-eluting microspheres TACE (DEM-TACE) are available intraarterial therapies. Screening of patients with cirrhosis is of great importance for early detection of malignant liver nodules. Primary endpoint of this study was to compare DEM-TACE with c-TACE in terms of 12-and 24-month survival. Secondary endpoints were comparison of intensity and duration of the postembolization syndrome (PES) and severe adverse events. We randomized 60 patients with unresectable HCC one-to-one with c-TACE or DEM-TACE and followed them for at least 24 months or until death. TACE was repeated 'on-demand. Most patients underwent two TACE sessions and the median hospital stay was 3 days for c-TACE and 2 days for DEM-TACE group. The overall 12-and 24-month survival rates were 89.8 and 70.7%, respectively, precisely 85.7 and 63.6% after c-TACE and 90.2 and 75.8% after DEM-TACE, without any significant difference (P = 0.18). Median overall survival was 21.1 months. Significant difference in the overall 12-and 24-month survival was found in patients with Child-Pugh A compared to Child-Pugh B class (P = 0.001). Child-Pugh class, aspartate aminotransferase levels and ascites independently predicted survival (P = 0.003). Both, DEM-TACE and c-TACE showed excellent 12-and 24-month survival rates. No significant difference in terms of adverse events was found. PES was slightly more severe after c-TACE, because of elevated temperature. DEM-TACE requires shorter in-hospital stay.

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Pain is the most common and fearsome symptom in cancer patients, particularly in the advanced stage of disease. In cancer pain management, the first option is represented by analgesic drugs, whereas surgery is rarely used. Prior to considering surgical intervention, less invasive locoregional procedures are available from the wide pain management arsenal. In this review article, comprehensive information about the most commonly used locoregional options available for treating cancer pain focusing on interventional radiology (neurolysis, augmentation techniques, and embolization) and interventional radiotherapy were provided, also highlighting the potential ways to increase the effectiveness of treatments.

Repeated administration is generally necessary t o terminate pregnancy with the last generation of E analogues now in increasing use. In the present study degree of absorption, effect on uterine contractility, and clinical efficacy of a new slow release vaginal device containing between 0.75 t o 2.0 mg 16,16-dimethyltrans-A2 PGEl methyl ester is described. The study included 26 late second trimester patients (15th t o 24th week) and 22 early second trimester patients (12th to 14th week) admitted to the hospital for termination of pregnancy. The former group of patients was treated with one medium size laminaria tent followed 12 hours later by either 1.5, 1.75, or 2.0 mg of the analogue. The early second trimester patients received 0.75, 1.0, or 1.25mg of the analogue and 1 2 hours later vacuum aspiration was performed. Irrespective of the administered dose a maximum plasma level around 400 pg/ml was reached after four hours. The duration of elevated plasma levels was, however, longer with the device containing 1.5 or 2.0 mg in comparison with that containing 0.75 mg. The development of uterine contractility was in accordance with the plasma levels. In the late second trimester patients the three dose levels were equally effective. Twenty-one out of 26 patients aborted within 18 hours following the start of prostaglandin treatment. The effect on cervical dilatation in the early second trimester patients was dose dependent. The highest dose, 1.25 mg, had the drawback of a higher frequency of abortions prior to scheduled time for vacuum aspiration and gastrointestinal side effects. To this group of patients a 1.0 mg device seemed most suitable. The only side effects observed were vomiting and diarrhea, which occurred in approximately one third of the patients. The degree of gastrointestinal side effects was much lower than that generally reported for classical prostaglandins but also for F analogues.termination of pregnancy, slow release device, 1 6 , 16-dimethyl-trans-Az -PGE, m e t h y l ester, levels, uterine contractility plasma

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