Hepatocellular carcinoma in Italy: report of a clinical trial with intravenous doxorubicin.
Sixty-six patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in various stages of hepatic involvement were studied prospectively. Of these, 50 (75%) had associated cirrhosis and 19 (28%) had serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Six (9%) patients were eligible for tumor resection, 34 were selected for doxorubicin chemotherapy (60 mg/m2, i.v., given every 3 weeks, up to a maximum dose of 550 mg/m2), and 26 were followed up without treatment. Untreated patients survived 1-18 months (median 1) after diagnosis. Surgically treated patients survived 1-14 months (median 4.5). In the doxorubicin group, six patients died soon after the first course of treatment, leaving 28 patients to be evaluated. Seven (24.5%) responded to therapy, surviving 2-26 months (median 8.0). Twenty-one (75.5%) did not respond to chemotherapy and had a median survival of 3.5 months (range: 2-12). Initial performance status and the degree of hepatic impairment were found to be covariates of prognostic significance. The type and severity of drug-related side-effects appeared to be comparable to those reported by others. In accordance with previous reports, our patients with HCC often had non-resectable tumors or responded poorly to chemotherapy. The association between this tumor and cirrhosis might partially account for treatment failure.
M
M
Colombo
M A
MA
Tommasini
E
E
Del Ninno
M G
MG
Rumi
C
C
De Fazio
M L
ML
Dioguardi
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000505:Alopecia / Q000139:chemically induced; D000855:Anorexia / Q000139:chemically induced; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D004317:Doxorubicin