title: Adjuvant hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy with 5-Fluorouracil and interferon after curative resection of hepatocellular carcinoma: a preliminary report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein invasion or intrahepatic metastases has an unfavorable prognosis, even after curative hepatic resection. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of adjuvant hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and systemic interferon (IFN).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients who were diagnosed as having HCC with portal vein invasion or intrahepatic metastases were included in the study (n=33). Out of these patients, 16 were treated with adjuvant therapy consisting of continuous arterial infusion of 5-FU and subcutaneous injection of IFN-α. Another 17 patients who underwent hepatic resection without adjuvant chemotherapy served as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The five-year cumulative survival rate was significantly higher in the adjuvant treatment group (71.1%) than in the control group (44.0%; p=0.023). The rate of patients with multiple (≥4) recurrent intrahepatic nodules was significantly lower in the adjuvant group (44.4%) than in the control group (100%; p=0.040). The development of intrahepatic recurrence within 12 months was significantly lower in the adjuvant group (33.3%) than in the control group (80.0%; p=0.040).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that this adjuvant chemotherapy can improve postoperative prognosis by reducing intrahepatic recurrence.
authors: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-9 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama 236-0004, Japan. t.kumamoto@k5.dion.ne.jp.
authors: Takafumi
authors: T
authors: Kumamoto
authors: Kuniya
authors: K
authors: Tanaka
authors: Kenichi
authors: K
authors: Matsuo
authors: Kazuhisa
authors: K
authors: Takeda
authors: Kazunori
authors: K
authors: Nojiri
authors: Ryutaro
authors: R
authors: Mori
authors: Kouichi
authors: K
authors: Taniguchi
authors: Ryusei
authors: R
authors: Matsuyama
authors: Michio
authors: M
authors: Ueda
authors: Hirotoshi
authors: H
authors: Akiyama
authors: Yasushi
authors: Y
authors: Ichikawa
authors: Mitsuyoshi
authors: M
authors: Ota
authors: Itaru
authors: I
authors: Endo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006499:Hepatic Artery; D006801:Humans; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D007372:Interferons / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D007372:Interferons; D005472:Fluorouracil
keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma; adjuvant chemotherapy; hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy