MULTIDISCIPLINARY MANAGEMENT OF HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA

Background/Aims: The continuing poor prognosis for patients with hepat ocellular carcinoma drives a search for new adjuvant therapies. Target ed locoregional immuno-chemotherapy is one of the most promising. Mate rials and Methods: From 1990 to 1996, 193 patients who were not eligib le for liver resection. were treated in a prospective randomized study . Ninety-one patients received locoregional targeted chemotherapy only via an arterial catheter (Group A), and 102 received combined locoreg ional immuno-chemotherapy via two arterial catheters (Group B). Result s: Overall survival was significantly different (10.2 months vs 22.3 m onths), favoring Group B. Complications and side effects of treatment were minimal in Group B and easily handled. Even in Group A, side effe cts were less severe than, effects normally associated with systemic c hemotherapy. Conclusions: Even though the current prognosis for patien ts with Hepatocellular Carcinoma remains poor, targeted locoregional i mmuno-chemotherapy has proven. to be of benefit in terms of quality of life and survival.