EFFECT OF ARTERIAL ADMINISTRATION OF A HIGH-MOLECULAR-WEIGHT ANTITUMOR AGENT, STYRENE-MALEIC ACID NEOCARZINOSTATIN, FOR MULTIPLE SMALL LIVER-CANCER - A PILOT-STUDY
K. Ikeda et al., EFFECT OF ARTERIAL ADMINISTRATION OF A HIGH-MOLECULAR-WEIGHT ANTITUMOR AGENT, STYRENE-MALEIC ACID NEOCARZINOSTATIN, FOR MULTIPLE SMALL LIVER-CANCER - A PILOT-STUDY, Journal of gastroenterology, 32(4), 1997, pp. 513-520
To assess the efficacy of the zinostatin derivative, the anti-tumor ag
ent, styrene-maleic acid neocarzinostatin, in treating multiple small
liver cancers, 29 patients with multiple hepatocellular carcinoma of 3
cm or less in diameter were treated with intraarterial injections of
this high molecular weight agent, mixed with Lipiodol. Computed tomogr
aphy 3 months after the first therapy showed complete deposition of Li
piodol in the entire area of the original tumor in 8 patients (27.6%),
50%-99% deposition in 4 (13.8%), 10%-49% in 10 (34.5%), and less than
10% in 7 (24.1%). After repeated injections, Lipiodol deposition in t
he entire area of the original tumor was found in 11 patients (37.9%).
The degree of Lipiodol deposition depended on the angiographic vascul
arity of the tumor and on the images of the computed tomogram during a
rterial portography. Although complete deposition of Lipiodol was foun
d in all tumors in 10 (58.8%) of the 17 patients with well demarcated
round hypervascularity, only 1 (8.3%) of 12 patients with ill demarcat
ed tumors showed complete deposition of Lipiodol in the tumors. Taking
into account that hypervascularity on angiograms was closely correlat
ed with the degree of Lipiodol accumulation on computed tomograms take
n later, it appears that well demarcated round-shaped liver cancer is
the best candidate for styrene-maleic acid neocarzinostatin therapy.