Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for gastrointestinal stromal tumors with liver metastases

Table 1 Clinicopathologic features of the patients

Clinicopathologic features	TACEn = 22 (%)	Controln = 38 (%)	Statistical test	P value
Sex			χ2 = 0.310	0.578
Male	16 (72.7)	29 (76.3)
Female	6 (27.3)	9 (23.7)
Age (yr)	53.0 (49.3-59.6)	55.0 (48.0-62.0)	U = 5.000	0.279
ECOG PS			χ2 = 2.344	0.126
0-1	16 (72.7)	20 (52.6)
2	6 (27.3)	18 (47.4)
Primary location			χ2 = 0.012	0.994
Stomach	9 (40.9)	15 (39.5)
Small intestinal	9 (40.9)	16 (42.1)
Other	4 (18.2)	7 (18.4)
Number of liver lesions			χ2 = 1.805	0.406
1	8 (36.4)	8 (21.1)
2-5	9 (40.9)	20 (52.6)
> 5	5 (22.7)	10 (26.3)
Extrahepatic metastases			χ2 = 0.083	0.773
Yes	9 (40.9)	17 (44.7)
No	13 (59.1)	21 (55.3)
Sunitinib second-line therapy before TACE			χ2 = 0.992	0.319
Yes	11 (50.0)	24 (63.2)
No	11 (50.0)	14 (36.8)
TKI reintroduction			χ2 = 1.778	0.182
Yes	10 (45.5)	24 (63.2)
No	12 (54.5)	14 (36.8)

TACE: Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization; ECOG PS: The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status; TKI: Tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Table 2 Univariate analysis by each variable

Variable	n	OS (wk)	P value
Gender			0.133
Male	45	34.3
Female	15	25.7
Primary tumor location			0.825
Stomach	24	25.7
Intestine	25	34.3
Others	11	30.0
ECOG PS			0.102
0-1	36	35.8
2	24	24.5
Number of liver metastases			0.079
1	16	42.9
2-5	29	25.7
> 5	15	38.6
Extrahepatic metastases			0.005
Yes	26	25.7
No	34	42.9
TKI reintroduction			0.657
Yes	34	30.0
No	26	30.0
TACE treatment			0.0001
Yes	22	68.5
No	38	25.7

OS: Overall survival; ECOG PS: The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status; TKI: Tyrosine kinase inhibitors; TACE: Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization.

Table 3 Adverse events in the two groups

Adverse events	All grades (%)			Grade 3-4 (%)
	TACE group (n = 22)	Control group (n = 38)	P value	TACE group (n = 22)	Control group (n = 38)	P value
Fever	20 (90.9)	5 (13.2)	0.0001	2 (9.1)	0 (0)	0.061
Fatigure	16 (72.7)	28 (73.7)	0.936	5 (22.7)	8 (21.1)	NA
Abnormal ALT	16 (72.7)	6 (15.8)	0.0001	5 (22.7)	0 (0)	0.005
Nausea	14 (63.6)	14 (36.8)	0.045	1 (4.5)	0 (0)	0.367
Ascites	5 (22.7)	10 (26.3)	0.757	0 (0)	0 (0)	NA
Diarhoea	4 (18.2)	5 (13.2)	0.712	0 (0)	0 (0)	NA
Hemorrhage	3 (8.3)	4 (10.5)	0.700	1 (4.5)	2 (5.3)	1.000
Neutropenia	12 (54.5)	16 (42.1)	0.352	3 (12.6)	3 (7.9)	0.659
Anemia	7 (31.8)	24 (63.2)	0.019	3 (12.6)	6 (15.8)	1.000
Thrombocytopenia	7 (31.8)	10 (26.3)	0.649	2 (10.5)	1 (2.6)	0.548

TACE: Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; NA: Not applicable.