Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with distant metastases, successfully treated by a combination therapy of alpha-interferon and oral tegafur/uracil.
We report a case of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), successfully treated by a combination therapy of alpha-interferon (IFN-alpha) and tegafur/uracil (UFT). A 44-year-old Japanese man who underwent a partial hepatectomy for HCC developed tumor recurrence in the liver 10 months after surgery. Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TAE) was performed twice within 7 months, but was ineffective. Later, multiple metastatic lesions appeared in the liver, lung and spine. Following the third TAE, a combination therapy of IFN-alpha (10 x 10(6) units, i.m., t.i.w.) and UFT (300 mg, p.o.d.) was started. The treatment resulted in a fall in serum PIVKA-II (protein induced by vitamin K antagonism) levels from 906 mAU to normal levels and a complete resolution of all lung nodules within 6 months. At the latest follow up 24 months after the initiation of combination treatment, the patient was working full-time and showed no evidence of tumor relapse. A combination therapy of IFN-alpha and UFT may be promising for the treatment of advanced HCC.
Miyamoto
A
A
Department of Surgery and Clinical Oncology, Osaka University Medical School, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
Umeshita
K
K
Sakon
M
M
Nagano
H
H
Eguchi
H
H
Kishimoto
S
S
Dono
K
K
Nakamori
S
S
Gotoh
M
M
Monden
M
M
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000792:Angiography; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D005641:Tegafur / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014498:Uracil / Q000008:administration & dosage
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D005641:Tegafur; D014498:Uracil