title: Implantation of a drug delivery system during surgery for patients with primary hepatocarcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Postoperative regional chemotherapy is one of the most effective methods to decrease the recurrent rate and improve the prognosis of primary hepatocarcinoma (PHC). This study was undertaken to assess the optimal pathway to implant the drug delivery system (DDS) in the different ways of resecting PHC so as to offer a valuable reference to clinical implantation of the DDS.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and ninety cases were divided into two groups according to whether the tumors were resected completely (A) or not (B). Groups A and B were subdivided into three groups a, b and c according to the pathway selected for DDS implantation. The patients in subgroup a received DDS implantation through both the hepatic artery and portal vein (A+P-implanted group), the patients in subgroup b received DDS implantation through the portal vein (P-implanted group), and the patients in subgroup c received DDS implantation through the hepatic artery (A-implanted group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 1- and 3-year recurrent rates of subgroup c in group A were higher than those of subgroup b, and there was no significant difference between subgroups a and b. Compared with subgroups a and c, the 1- and 3-year survival rates of subgroup b were similar to those of group a but higher than those of group c. The 1- and 3-year survival rates between subgroups a and b in group B were significantly different. The prognosis of subgroup c was lower than that of subgroup a and no significant difference was observed between subgroups b and c.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The DDS should be implanted into the portal vein when PHC is resected completely. It may be better to implant it into both portal vein and hepatic artery if the tumor cannot be completely resected.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Organ Transplantation, Third Xiangya Hospital, Xiangya Medical College, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China. wanpingchen192@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Wan-Ping
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Qi-Fa
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004343:Drug Implants; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004343:Drug Implants