Treatment Of Inoperable Hepatocellular Carcinoma Research Articles

Hepatocellular carcinoma. Part 2. Treatment

Recent improvements on the therapeutical management of hepatocellular carcinoma are revised with special attention to evaluate the role of surgery for the disease. Considering that definitive surgical intervention is not feasible in most cases because of extreme tumor extension, multiplicity of tumor foci, and associated advanced liver cirrhosis at the time of diagnosis, others forms of treatment are listed, such as transcatheterarterial chemoembolization, percutaneous ethanol and acetic acid injections, and chemotherapy only to a small portion of patients with no indication for standard treatments. The emerging role of retinoic acid metabolism blocking agents, was examined and may offer a significant new potential treatment for cancer, inclusive the possibility of combining other anticancer drugs with exogenous retinoids or modulation of endogenous retinoids as a real opportunity to advance our ability to treat or prevent human cancer effectively Octreotide, nitrosamine and other drugs are analyzed and is concluded that improves survival and is a valuable alternative in the treatment of inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma. The potential role of intersticial laser coagulation for patients with irresectable hepatic tumors was investigated, and in terms of experience, it has now been developed sufficiently to study its effect on these patients survival. The homeostatic control of angiogenesis and its influences on the tumor growth and for migration of metastatic cells, was focused in this concise review, given that hepatocytes are the source of much of the precursor pool, regulation of angiogenesis may be regarded as a new liver function with important consequences for tissue repair and cancer. Early hepatocellular carcinoma and its recognition in routine clinical practice contributes to improved patients survival. Recombinant-Interferon-alpha therapy surely prevents, the development of cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma in about one-third of patients, with chronic hepatitis C, with sustained response. Finally, in individuals with life-threatening liver disease, such as those with cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, the liver transplantation, must be considered, besides controversial, however, with increasing experience the results of the procedure in these patients have improved, and may offer a better long-term survival than liver resection.

Treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with octreotide: a randomised controlled study

Background—Standard treatment of inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma has not been established. Somatostatin has been shown to possess antimitotic activity against a variety of non-endocrine tumours.Aims—To assess the presence of somatostatin receptors...

Electrogastrographic Study of the Effect of Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization on Gastric Myoelectric Activity

Background: Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) of the hepatic artery is frequently used in the treatment of inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). TACE causes not only effective tumor tissue necrosis in patients with hepatoma but also adverse effects on extrahepatic abdominal organs. There are no published reports on the effect of TACE on the gastric myoelectric activity. In this study, using cutaneous electrogastrography (EGG), we evaluated the effect of TACE on gastric myoelectric activity in patients with HCC. Methods: A total of 27 patients (24 men and 3 women, aged 22 to 78 years) with hepatoma, admitted for TACE, were included in this study. Furthermore, 28 patients (24 men and 4 women, aged 26 to 75 years), admitted for diagnostic angiography of the liver, served as the control group. Cutaneous EGG was performed before and after TACE or angiography. Results: In the TACE group there were significant changes in dominant frequency (DF) and percentages of DF in the defined normal range, bradygastric range, and tachygastric range on post-meal EGG. On fasting EGG, only the dominant frequency and percentages of DF in the bradygastric range changed significantly. However, there was no correlation between the occurrence of nausea/vomiting and the degree of change in the EGG variables, during both fasting and postprandial states. In the control group there were no significant differences in EGG variables before and after angiography. Conclusions: TACE can affect gastric myoelectric activity in HCC patients. Nevertheless, the relationship between changes in myoelectric activity and the occurrence of gastrointestinal symptoms needs further investigation.

Nonresectional therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma

Surgical resection is generally accepted as the first choice of treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, due to its multifocal nature, association with chronic liver disease, and frequent postresectional recurrence, nonresectional therapies are important in the management of a significant proportion of patients with HCC. A literature review was performed on the current status of different nonresectional treatment modalities commonly employed for HCC. They include direct ablation methods, systemic chemotherapy, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, external and targeting radiotherapy, hormonal therapy, and immunotherapy. Multidisciplinary therapy resulting in preoperative cytoreduction has also been reported with improvement of therapeutic results. Nonresectional therapies play an essential role in the treatment of inoperable HCC as they lead to satisfactory survival. Percutaneous ethanol injection and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization are the most frequently employed modalities, and they result in a 3-year survival rate of 55% to 70% and about 20%, respectively. Multidisciplinary therapy appears to be the current trend of management and improved survival is achieved especially when unresectable tumors are converted to resectable ones.

Interventional Radiology for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The techniques used in the treatment of inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma, i.e. transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and percutaneous transhepatic ethanol injection, were described. The complica

Treatment of inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma by transcatheter arterial chemoembolization using an emulsion of cisplatin in iodized oil and gelfoam : Ngan H, Lai CL, Fan ST, et al. (Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Room 415, Block K, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong). Clin Radiol 1993;47:315–320.

Treatment of inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma by transcatheter arterial chemoembolization using an emulsion of cisplatin in iodized oil and gelfoam : Ngan H, Lai CL, Fan ST, et al. (Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Room 415, Block K, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong). Clin Radiol 1993;47:315–320.

Treatment of inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma by transcatheter arterial chemoembolization using an emulsion of cisplatin in iodized oil and gelfoam

Eighty patients with inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were treated by transcatheter arterial chemoembolization using an emulsion of Lipiodol and Cisplatin. In 59 patients, gelfoam embolization was also given. The tumour size ranged from 0.5 cm to 33 cm in maximum diameter with the median diameter being 8 cm. The chemoembolization sessions were repeated every 1 1/2 to 3 months. The number of sessions the patients underwent varied from 1 to 11, with the mean number of sessions being 3.7. The HCC either disappeared completely or decreased in size in 44 patients (55%). In patients having an HCC of 12 cm or less in size, 31 out of 41 (75.6%) who had the addition of gelfoam demonstrated decrease in tumour size, while seven out of 11 (63.6%) without the addition of gelfoam demonstrated decrease in tumour size. In patients having an HCC of more than 12 cm in size, only six out of 18 (33.3%) who had the addition of gelfoam demonstrated reduction in tumour size and none of the 10 patients without the addition of gelfoam responded. Thus, HCCs of 12 cm or less in size responded better than larger ones to chemoembolization (P < 0.0001) while the addition of gelfoam enhanced the response (P = 0.039). The 1 year survival rate for the 80 patients was 53% and the 2 years survival rate was 38%. The median survival was 13 months. For patients having an HCC of 12 cm or less in size, the 1 year and 2 year survival rates were 69% and 47% respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Treatment of inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with selective regional chemotherapy:Clinical outcome

Treatment of inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with selective regional chemotherapy:Clinical outcome

Recombinant α2 interferon is superior to doxorubicin for inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma: a prospective randomised trial

In a prospective trial of 75 Chinese patients with histologically proven inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 25 patients were randomised to receive doxorubicin 60-75 mg m-2 intravenously once every 3 weeks, 25 to receive recombinant alpha 2 interferon (rIFN) (Roferon) 9-18 x 10(6) IU m-2 intramuscularly (i.m.) daily and 25 to receive rIFN 25-50 x 10(6) IU m-2 i.m. three times weekly. Patients were switched to the other drug if: (a) there was progressive disease after 12 weeks, (b) unacceptable toxicity developed and (c) they had received a total of 500 mg m-2 of doxorubicin. Six patients had switching over of therapy, three on doxorubicin and three on rIFN. In the remaining 69 patients on single drug therapy, the median survival rate of patients on doxorubicin and rIFN was 4.8 and 8.3 weeks respectively (P = ns.). rIFN induced tumour regression of 25-50% in 12% of patients and of over 50% in 10% of patients. When compared with doxorubicin, rIFN was associated with more tumour regression (P = 0.00199) and less progressive tumours (P = 0.00017). It caused less prolonged and less severe marrow suppression (P = 0.01217), and had significantly less fatal complications than doxorubicin (P = 0.01383). Doxorubicin caused fatal complications due to cardiotoxicity and neutropenia in 25% of patients. rIFN was associated with fatal complications due to dementia and renal failure in 3.8% of patients. In the treatment of inoperable HCC, rIFN is superior to doxorubicin in causing more tumour regression, less serious marrow suppression and less fatal complications.