Improved survival for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombosis treated by intra-arterial chemotherapy combining etoposide,carboplatin,epirubicin and pharmacokinetic modulating chemotherapy by 5-FU and enteric-coated tegafur/uracil:A pilo

AIM: To investigate the poor prognosis of HCC with PVTT,we evaluated the efficacy by a new combination chemotherapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT). METHODS: From 2002 to 2007,a total of 10 consecutive patients with Stage IVA HCC accompanied by PVTT were studied prospectively to examine the efficacy of treatment by intra-arterial infusion of a chemotherapeutic agents consisting of etoposide,carboplatin,epirubicin and pharmacokinetic modulating chemotherapy by 5-FU and enteric-coated tegafur/uracil. RESULTS: The mean course of chemotherapy was 14.4 (range,9-21) mo. One patient showed complete response (CR) with disappearance of HCC and PVTT after treatment,and the two patients showed partial response (PR),response rate (CR + PR/All cases 30%). The median survival time after the therapy was 457.2 d. The one-year survival rate was 70%. Adverse reactions were tolerable. CONCLUSION: Although the prognosis of most patients with Stage IVA HCC by PVTT is poor,our combination chemotherapy may induces long-term survival and is an effective treatment and produced anti-tumor activity with tolerable adverse effects in patients for advanced Stage IVA HCC accompanied by PVTT.

AIM： To investigate the poor prognosis of HCC with PVTT, we evaluated the efficacy by a new combination chemotherapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） with portal vein tumor thrombus （PVTT）. METHODS： From 2002 to 2007, a total of 10 consecutive patients with Stage IVA HCC accompanied by PVTT were studied prospectively to examine the efficacy of treatment by intra-arterial infusion of a chemotherapeutic agents consisting of etoposide, carboplatin, epirubicin and pharmacokinetic modulating chemotherapy by 5-FU and enteric-coated tegafur/uracil. RESULTS： The mean course of chemotherapy was 14.4 （range, 9-21） too. One patient showed complete response （CR） with disappearance of HCC and PVI-F after treatment, and the two patients showed partial response （PR）, response rate （CR ＋ PR/All cases 30%）. The median survival time after the therapy was 457.2 d. The one-year survival rate was 70%. Adverse reactions were tolerable. CONCLUSION： Although the prognosis of most patients with Stage IVA HCC by PVTT is poor, our combination chemotherapy may induces long-term survival and is an effective treatment and produced anti-tumor activity with tolerable adverse effects in patients for advanced Stage IVA HCC accompanied by PVTT.