title: Similar effects of recombinant interferon-alpha-2b and natural interferon-alpha when combined with intra-arterial 5-fluorouracil for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Intra-arterial 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) plus interferon (IFN) combination therapy is effective against advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumour thrombosis. In this study, we compared the efficiency and safety of recombinant IFN-alpha-2b with natural IFN-alpha as components of the combination therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive HCC patients (n=31) with portal vein tumour thrombosis were enrolled in this prospective study. They received combination therapy of 5-FU and either recombinant IFN-alpha-2b (R group, n=15) or natural IFN-alpha (N group, n=16). We compared the two groups for the early response rate, adverse reactions, time to progression (TTP) and survival rates. In addition, we assessed the cost-effectiveness of each protocol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The early response rate (R: 26.7%, N: 31.2%), median TTP (R: 5.8 months, N: 5.6 months) and median survival time (R: 7.5 months, N: 6.5 months) were not significantly different between the R and N groups. There were no differences in adverse reactions between the two groups. The estimated cost-effectiveness ratio of recombinant IFN-alpha-2b was better than natural IFN-alpha.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our protocol of combination therapy, there were no significant differences between recombinant IFN-alpha-2b and natural IFN-alpha with regard to early response to therapy, adverse effects, TTP and survival rates. 5-FU could be combined with either recombinant IFN-alpha-2b or natural IFN-alpha, although the cost-effectiveness of the former warrants its use clinically.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Molecular Science, Division of Frontier Medical Science, Programs for Biomedical Research, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Kiminori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uka
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aikata
authors.forename: Shintaro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takaki
authors.forename: Daiki
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Miki
authors.forename: Soo Cheol
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hiramatsu
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.forename: Hiroo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shirakawa
authors.forename: Yoshiiku
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawakami
authors.forename: Shoichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Naoyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Toyota
authors.forename: Katsuhide
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Kazuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chayama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics / Q000601:surgery; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015996:Survival Rate; D013810:Therapeutic Equivalency
chemical_list: D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D005472:Fluorouracil