[Transhepatic arterial chemoembolization with gemcitabine and carboplatin for the treatment of stage III hepatocellular carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficiency and safety of transhepatic arterial chemoembolization (TACE) with gemcitabine and carboplatin for the treatment of stage III hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).


METHODS
Sixty-one HCC patients were treated by TACE. During TACE, At first, intra-arterial infusion of carboplatin 300 mg/m2, then gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 with 5-30 ml of ultra-lipoidal iodide oil emulsion was used for arterial embolization. The toxicity and hepatic damage were observed according to WHO anticancer drug toxicity criteria and Child-Pugh classification criteria, respectively. The survival time was also observed during follow-up.


RESULTS
The blood toxicity was bone marrow suppression presented as grade I leucopenia in 39.3%, grade II in 29.5%, grade III-IV in 18.0%. Grade II-III nausea and vomiting developed in 96.8% of the patients. Hepatic function damage became aggravated in 16 patients from A to B class, in 2 from A to C class, and in 6 from B to C class according to Child-Pugh classification criteria. The median survival time was 20 months with a range of 5 to 3 5 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Transhepatic arterial chemoembolization using carboplatin and mixture of gemcitabine with ultra-lipoidal iodide oil emulsion is safe and effective in the management of stage III hepatocellular carcinoma. This regimen can also improve their quality of life.
Xiong
Zheng-ping
ZP
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Hunan Provincial Cancer Hospital, Changsha 410013, China.
Zhang
Yang-de
YD
Huang
Fang
F
Liang
Zhao-yu
ZY
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011788:Quality of Life; D012074:Remission Induction; D015996:Survival Rate; D055815:Young Adult; D000093542:Gemcitabine
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D016190:Carboplatin; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000093542:Gemcitabine