Combined therapy with external beam irradiation and hepatic arterial epirubicin infusion through an implanted port for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.
Nineteen patients with advanced stage IV hepatocellular carcinoma for which transcatheter arterial embolization and percutaneous ethanol injection were not indicated have been treated by combined therapy with external beam irradiation and repeated hepatic arterial epirubicin infusion through an implanted port. The response rate was 47%, and the median survival was 11.6 months (range, 4.0 to 27.1 months). Eighteen of the 19 patients were able to undergo the infusion therapy on an outpatient basis 3 to 7 weeks after initiation of therapy. This combined therapy was effective in improving tumor-bearing survival and less stressful for the patients because of the minimal therapy-related toxicity and brief hospitalization.
Takizawa
K
K
Department of Radiology, Showa University Fujigaoka Hospital, Yokohama, Japan.
Honda
M
M
Obuchi
M
M
Hasebe
S
S
Matsuoka
S
S
Yamada
M
M
Kuniyasu
Y
Y
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006499:Hepatic Artery; D006801:Humans; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015996:Survival Rate
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D015251:Epirubicin