Evaluating the effectiveness and safety of TAS-102 plus Yttrium-90 radioembolization for the treatment of patients with colorectal cancer liver metastasis.

This study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of TAS-102 (Lonsurf; trifluridine-tipiracil) plus Yttrium-90 (Y-90) radioembolization (RE) for patients with colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRLM) who are unresponsive to chemotherapy. The data showed that TAS-102 plus RE was safe and effective in these patients.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common types of cancer worldwide. The first choice for the treatment of CRC is usually surgery. In 50% of the cases, cancer spreads to the liver known as CRLM. Less than 20% of these patients are eligible for surgery to remove the metastases. These patients might also receive chemotherapy.

Regional therapies like transarterial radioembolization (TARE) are considered if patients have progressed after surgery or localized therapies. One such treatment for CRC that has spread to the liver is RE. It involves the delivery of radioactive particles (Y-90) to cancer tumors through the bloodstream. The particles lodge in the tumor and emit radiation that kills the cancer cells.

TAS-102 is a combination of 2 chemotherapy drugs that stop cancer cells from dividing. This stops tumor growth and spread. Previous studies showed that TAS-102 was safe and improved survival in patients with mCRC. However, the effectiveness and safety of TAS-102 plus TARE for patients with CRLM who are unresponsive to chemotherapy are still unknown.

This study involved 21 patients with CRLM. All patients received TAS-102 in combination with TARE using Y-90 beads.

The overall average survival without cancer worsening was 3.8 months. 19% of the patients achieved a partial response (partial disappearance of cancer cells) and 57% of the patients achieved a stable disease response.

76% of the patients achieved disease control (tumor does not grow or spread). The disease control rate in the liver lobes treated with TARE was 100%.

The treatment-related serious side effects were reduced blood cell counts (48%) and radioembolization-induced liver disease (10%).

This study concluded that TAS-102 plus TARE was safe and effective for patients with CRLM who were unresponsive to chemotherapy.

This study was sponsored by SIRTEX Medical, Inc. the manufacturer of Y-90 beads. The sample size was small and only included patients from a single institution in the USA. Larger, longer-term studies are needed to confirm these results.