Scientific publications

The CIREL Cohort: A Prospective Controlled Registry Studying the Real-Life Use of Irinotecan-Loaded Chemoembolisation in Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastases: Interim Analysis. Scientific Publication

Sep 24, 2020 | Magazine: Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology

Philippe L Pereira 1 , Roberto Iezzi 2 , Riccardo Manfredi 2 , Francesca Carchesio 2 , Zoltan Bánsághi 3 , Elias Brountzos 4 , Stavros Spiliopoulos 4 , Javier J Echevarria-Uraga 5 , Belarmino Gonçalves 6 , Riccardo Inchingolo 7 , Michele Nardella 7 , Olivier Pellerin 8 , Maria Sousa 6 , Dirk Arnold 9 , Thierry de Baère 10 , Fernando Gomez 11  12 , Thomas Helmberger 13 , Geert Maleux 14 , Hans Prenen 15 , Bruno Sangro 16 , Bleranda Zeka 17 , Nathalie Kaufmann 18 , Julien Taieb 19


Purpose: Transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) using irinotecan-eluting beads is an additional treatment option for colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRLM) patients that are not eligible for curative treatment approaches. This interim analysis focuses on feasibility of the planned statistical analysis regarding data distribution and completeness, treatment intention, safety and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of the first 50 patients prospectively enrolled in the CIrse REgistry for LifePearl™ microspheres (CIREL), an observational multicentre study conducted across Europe.

Methods: In total, 50 patients ≥ 18 years diagnosed with CRLM and decided to be treated with irinotecan-eluting LifePearl™ microspheres TACE (LP-irinotecan TACE) by a multidisciplinary tumour board. There were no further inclusion or exclusion criteria. The primary endpoint is the categorisation of treatment intention, and secondary endpoints presented in this interim analysis are safety, treatment considerations and HRQOL.

Results: LP-irinotecan TACE was conducted in 42% of patients as salvage therapy, 20% as an intensification treatment, 16% as a first-line treatment, 14% a consolidation treatment and 8% combination treatment with ablation with curative intent. Grade 3 and 4 adverse events were reported by 4% of patients during procedure and by 10% within 30 days. While 38% reported a worse, 62% reported a stable or better global health score, and 54% of patients with worse global health score were treated as salvage therapy patients.

Conclusion: This interim analysis confirms in a prospective analysis the feasibility of the study, with an acceptable toxicity profile. More patients reported a stable or improved HRQOL than deterioration. Deterioration of HRQOL was seen especially in salvage therapy patients.

CITATION Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol. 2021 Jan;44(1):50-62. doi: 10.1007/s00270-020-02646-8. Epub 2020 Sep 24.

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