title: Pirarubicin, UFT, Leucovorin Chemotherapy in Non-embolizable and Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization-Failed Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients; A Phase II Clinical Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hepatocellular carcinomas are one of the most common malignancies in the world. However, no effective therapeutic modality has been proven to prolong the survival of patients in an inoperable stage. The purpose of this study was to determine the response rate and the toxicities of a combination of pirarubicin, UFT and leucovorin in patients with non-embolizable hepatocellular carcinomas, or who had progressed during their transcatheter arterial chemoembolization treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of 23 patients with a hepatocellular carcinoma, 11 had progressed during a transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, with the other 12 being transcatheter arterial chemoembolization-naive. All the patients were treated with pirarubicin (70 mg/m2 i.v., day 1), UFT (350 mg/m2 P.O., day 1~21), and leucovorin (25 mg/m2 P.O., day 1~21).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty patients were able to be evaluated, with a partial response being achieved in four, giving an overall response rate of 20% (95% confidence interval, 7~44%). The median overall survival time was 6 months, and the median survival time of the transcatheter arterial chemoembolization-naive patients was significantly longer than that of those treated by transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (p=0.012). The most significant dose-limiting toxicity was leucopenia and thrombocytopenia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combination of pirarubicin, UFT and leucovorin therapies showed marginal antitumor activity and significant toxicity in patients with non-embolizable or failed transcatheter arterial chemoembolization hepatocellular carcinomas.
authors.forename: Kyong Hwa
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: So Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Sang Cheul
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Jae Hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Chul Won
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jong Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Yeon
authors.forename: Byung Soo
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Yeul Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kwan Soo
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Byun
authors.forename: Jun Suk
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chang Hong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
keywords: Chemotherapy; Hepatocellular neoplasm; Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization