Prognostic Factors in Overall Survival of Patients with Unresectable Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma Treated by Means of Yttrium-90 Radioembolization: Results in Therapy-Na⟨ve Patients

To investigate prognostic factors in unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) therapy-na < ve patients after yttrium-90 (Y-90) radioembolization (RE) therapy. Between 2005 and 2016, 21 patients with ICC were treated with Y-90 RE only and their survival data were analyzed. Patients were stratified and response was assessed by the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria. The overall median survival was 15 months. Survival was significantly (p = 0.009) prolonged in patients with tumor burden of 25% (n = 8, OS 37.5 months) versus those with a tumor burden of 25-50% (n = 13, OS 15 months). The other variables: tumor morphology (infiltrative vs. peripheral), tumor distribution (solitary vs. multifocal), lobes involved (unilobar vs. bilobar), FDG PET status (FDG avid vs. non-avid), RE treatment sessions (1 session vs. 2 sessions), metastases (metastasis vs. no metastasis) and RECIST criteria, had no significant impact on survival. Tumor burden represents a key prognostic factor of survival in therapy-na < ve patients with unresectable ICC treated with Y-90 RE therapy only.