Unresectable isolated hepatic metastases from solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas: a case report of chemosaturation with high-dose melphalan.

Abstract

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES:

Solid pseudopapillary neoplasms of the pancreas (SPN) are rare tumors. For patients with unresectable liver metastases of SPN, no standard treatment has been defined so far. Here we report a case of a 40-year-old woman with SPN and metastases confirmed to the liver, and disease progression in the liver after primary tumor resection and chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin.

METHODS:

Chemosaturation with percutaneous hepatic perfusions is a minimally invasive, repeatable regional therapy which delivers chemotherapy directly to the liver while limiting systemic toxicity. As an individual treatment approach, the patient was treated with chemosaturation with percutaneous hepatic perfusions of melphalan.

RESULTS:

The procedure was performed twice within 8 weeks after which the liver metastases showed a marked reduction in size and vascularization (partial response). Grade 3 leukopenia after the second procedure was managed effectively with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. No other toxicities were observed. Ten months after initiating treatment, the patient had a good performance status and remained stable.

CONCLUSIONS:

For SPN with unresectable liver metastases and progression despite systemic treatment, repeat chemosaturation with high-dose melphalan may also offer an effective regional treatment option.

• Authors: Helene Hofmann, Rebecca von Haken, Jens Werner, Nikolas Kortes, Frank Bergmann, Peter Schemmer, Dirk Jäger, Boris Radeleff, Henning Schulze-Bergkamen
• Journal: Pancreatology : official journal of the International Association of Pancreatology (IAP) ... [et al.] (Pancreatology) 2014 Nov-Dec Vol. 14 Issue 6 Pg. 546-9 ISSN: 1424-3911 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 25280592 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2014 IAP and EPC. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
• Antineoplastic Agents
• Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating
• Deoxycytidine
• Cisplatin
• Melphalan
• Gemcitabine

Topics

• Adult
• Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic (therapeutic use)
• Antineoplastic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating (therapeutic use)
• Carcinoma, Papillary (drug therapy, pathology, secondary)
• Cisplatin (therapeutic use)
• Deoxycytidine (analogs & derivatives, therapeutic use)
• Female
• Humans
• Liver Neoplasms (drug therapy, pathology, secondary)
• Melphalan (therapeutic use)
• Pancreatic Neoplasms (pathology)
• Treatment Outcome
• Gemcitabine