title: Type 1 interferon receptor in peripheral blood mononuclear cells may predict response to intra-arterial 5-fluorouracil + interferon therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Type 1 interferon alpha receptor 2 (IFNAR2) in the liver has been reported to be a predictive factor for the response to intra-arterial 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) + systemic interferon (IFN)-alpha combination therapy in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. We tested whether IFNAR2 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells could predict the response to 5-FU + IFN.
  
  
  METHODS
  Predictive factors for survival and response to therapy were determined in 30 patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent treatment with 5-FU + IFN. IFNAR2 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was measured in 11 of the 30 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With a mean number of 4.2 courses of combination therapy, one patient (3%) showed a complete response, eight (27%) showed partial responses, 13 (43%) had stable disease, and eight (27%) showed progressive disease. The median survival time of responders (complete response/partial response) was 12.7 months and that of nonresponders (stable disease/progressive disease) was 7.5 months. The one-year and two-year cumulative survival rates of responders and nonresponders were 87/69% and 40/11%, respectively (P = 0.019). Multivariate analysis identified response to therapy (P = 0.037) as the sole independent determinant of survival. The expression level of IFNAR2 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was significantly (P = 0.012) higher in responders (6.5 ± 2.4) than in nonresponders (2.4 ± 0.6), even though no clinical factors were identified as being associated with the response to the combination therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IFNAR2 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells may predict the response to 5-FU + IFN therapy in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, although these data are preliminary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology and Pancreatology, Kawasaki Medical University, Kurashiki, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tomiyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology and Pancreatology, Kawasaki Medical University, Kurashiki, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
authors.affiliation: Institute of Fujisaki, Hayashibara Biochemical Lab Inc, Okayama, Japan ; Pharmaceutical Marketing Division, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co Ltd, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yanai
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology and Pancreatology, Kawasaki Medical University, Kurashiki, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawase
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology and Pancreatology, Kawasaki Medical University, Kurashiki, Japan.
authors.forename: Sohji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nishina
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology and Pancreatology, Kawasaki Medical University, Kurashiki, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology and Pancreatology, Kawasaki Medical University, Kurashiki, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology and Pancreatology, Kawasaki Medical University, Kurashiki, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Korenaga
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology and Pancreatology, Kawasaki Medical University, Kurashiki, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korenaga
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology and Pancreatology, Kawasaki Medical University, Kurashiki, Japan.
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hino
keywords: 5-fluorouracil; hepatocellular carcinoma; interferon; receptor