title: Pilot Study of Hepatic Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy with Interferon-beta and 5-fluorouracil: A New Chemotherapy for Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present pilot study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) with interferon-beta (IFN-β) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 10 patients with advanced HCC and who were unresponsive to previous HAIC using low-dose 5-FU and cisplatin. The median age was 67 years. Eight patients had portal vein tumor thrombosis and four patients had extrahepatic metastasis. Using a drug delivery system, patients were treated with HAIC of IFN-β (600 MIU/body, three times/week) and 5-FU (250 mg/body, five times/week). Chemotherapy was repeated consecutively for 2 weeks every 4 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six (60%) patients had a decrease in tumor markers alpha-fetoprotein (APP) or des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (DCP). The median overall survival was 108 days and the 1-year survival rate was 10.0%. Univariate analysis showed two significant prognostic factors related to long-term survival for more than 60 days: a decrease in APP or DCP 4 weeks after treatment (P = 0.035) and no extra hepatic metastasis (P = 0.035). Severe hepatic injury was not observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HAIC with IFN-β and 5-PU exerts modest antitumor effects and poses no particular safety concerns. This may be a new promising strategy for treatment of advanced HCC.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shakado
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwata
authors.forename: Naoaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kunimoto
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yotsumoto
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fukunaga
authors.forename: Shizuka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuno
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Kunitoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakurai
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iwashita
authors.forename: Genryu
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.forename: Keiji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Morihara
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nishizawa
authors.forename: Yasuaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takeyama
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Irie
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sohda
authors.forename: Shin-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kora
authors.forename: Kengo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshimitsu
authors.forename: Shotaro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sakisaka
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006499:Hepatic Artery; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000008:administration & dosage; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood; D011516:Prothrombin; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C097353:AFP protein, human; D015415:Biomarkers; D011498:Protein Precursors; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; C008208:acarboxyprothrombin; D016899:Interferon-beta; D011516:Prothrombin; D005472:Fluorouracil