SIR-Spheres Microspheres (Sirtex) benefit both elderly and younger patients with Liver Cancer

An analysis of a study of SIR-Spheres microspheres, from Sirtex, in the treatment of patients with inoperable primary Liver Cancer, found essentially identical long-term treatment outcomes following radioembolisation using SIR-Spheres in 128 elderly (age 70 years or older) compared to 197 younger (less than 70 years of age) patients with otherwise similar demographics. Overall survival of patients in the study was not statistically significant between elderly (median 14.5 months) and younger (12.8 months) patients. There was also no significant difference in survival between very elderly patients (75 years or older) and those under that age (median 14.9 vs. 12.8 months).

Radioembolisation with SIR-Spheres was equally well-tolerated in both age groups. Severe GI ulcers (grade 3 and above) were actually almost three times less common among older patients (0.8% vs. 2.7%). Data were published in the Journal of Hepatology. See: "Comparison of the survival and tolerability of radioembolization in elderly versus younger patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma." Golfieri R et al. Journal of Hepatology 2013; doi: dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhep.2013.05.025