Comparing laboratory toxicity of selective intra-arterial radionuclide therapy for primary and metastatic liver tumors: resin versus glass microspheres.

Objective: To compare the acute (within 30 days of treatment) laboratory toxicities of Yttrium-90 (Y-90) resin and glass microspheres.

Methods: Selective intra-arterial radionuclide therapies (SIRTs) with Y-90 resin and glass microspheres were retrospectively reviewed. Liver-hematological data were collected at baseline and at 1 week and 1 month follow-up. The percentage change of laboratory data and the albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score were calculated.

Results: A total of 219 SIRTs (n: 110 resin, n: 109 glass) from 177 patients were included. There was no difference in age, liver pathologies, extrahepatic disease, baseline liver function tests, and total blood counts between the two microsphere groups. Administered activity was higher in treatments with Y-90 glass microspheres (p < 0.001). An increase in serum liver enzymes was observed after treatment with both microspheres. The difference between the treatment groups was the higher percentage increase of AST and ALT at the first week following Y-90 glass treatment (p < 0.001). However, this situation was not observed after 1 month. No difference in the percentage change of other laboratory parameters was found between two groups. The number of patients with an increase [resin n: 24 (24.7%) vs glass n: 26 (27.1%), p: 0.711) and decrease [resin n: 13 (13.4%) vs glass n: 8 (8.3%), p: 0.258] in the ALBI grade after SIRT was similar among groups.

Conclusions: An increase in liver enzymes was observed in the early period after SIRT with both microspheres. No significant difference in liver and hematological data was detected during early follow-up between the two groups, except that the percentage increase of AST and ALT were higher at the first week in the Y-90 glass group, possibly due to higher administered activity.