Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE) has been used to treat patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). TACE may result in gastrointestinal complications because of an unavoidable infusions of embolic materials or
antineoplastic
drugs into the gastroduodenal and right gastric arteries. The incidence, endoscopic and histologic features of gastric lesions were investigated in 12 patients with inoperable HCC after hepatic arterial infusion of I-131-Lipiodol or
chemo-embolization(TACE).
@ES The results were as follows;
@EN 1) Symptoms such as epigastic pain(five cases), nausea (three cases), and fever(two cases) developed in 9 patients(75%) after TACE.
2) Endoscopic findings after TACE were as follows; The development of gastric lesions was evident in five of the 12(41.7%). In three cases. gastric erosions were present, and the other two had acute gastritis.
3) The lesions were located on the antrum and body of the stomach, and the most common site was the gastric antrum(four cases).
4) Histologic findings of four cases with gastric lesions after TACE were as follows; Two cases of gastritis, one case of erosion and intestinal metaplasia, and one case of erosion and atypical glandular yperplasia.
In conclusion, the development of these gastric lesions after TACE may be due to mucosal ischemia caused by embolic materials, the toxic effect of antineoplastic drugs or radioactive agents infused, stress, or to accompanying cirrhosis. In light
of
these events, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy should be added to the usual examinations done for patients undergoing TACE.
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