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From April 1983 through April 1989, transcatheter internal iliac arterial embolization therapy (TAE) using Gelfoam particles was performed in 64 cases of recurrent or advanced pelvic cancer. We report here 19 patients who survived for more than one year. After TAE, the patients were followed on an outpatient basis for an average of two years. The condition of the patients was generally good during this period of follow-up. Complete response (CR) to therapy was obtained in five cases, partial response (PR) in nine, minor response (MR) in one and no change (NC) in four. Among the five cases that showed complete response, one case had local control for over five years, two cases for over three years and two cases for over one year. Though the patients had cancer, there were no other complications during the long-term follow-up.

From April 1983 through September 1988, transcatheter internal iliac arterial embolization therapy (TAE) using Gelfoam particles was performed in 36 patients with recurrent pelvic cancer and 18 patients with advanced pelvic cancer. The tumor showed complete response (CR) to the therapy in seven patients, partial response (PR) in 18, minor response (MR) in five, and no change (NC) in 24 patients, with the response rate (CR + PR) of 46.3%. Univariate analysis, using Kaplan-Meier estimates and log-rank test, revealed that overall survival was related to performance status (p = 0.0001) and tumor reduction by TAE (p = 0.0008). Similarly, a multivariate analysis, using Cox's proportional hazard model, revealed a strong relationship between prognosis and performance status and tumor reduction by TAE. These results show that both good general condition and tumor reduction by TAE are significant characteristics for the prognosis of recurrent and advanced pelvic cancer treated by TAE.