[Transcatheter embolization in the management of pain from metastatic uroepithelial cancer].

Arterial embolization was performed for the relief of pain in 4 patients with symptomatic osseous metastases associated with extensive soft tissue tumors. Two patients had metastatic transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder and renal pelvis, and 2 had metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Three of the 4 patients experienced significant relief of pain and improved performance status. Decrease of tumor size or healing of osteolytic metastasis did not occur. Errant embolization occurred in one patient but did not become a serious problem. In 3 patients post-infarction pain occurred, but subsided within 36 hours. This therapeutic approach may be useful to control the pain associated with a massive advanced uroepithelial cancer.