Brief Article
Copyright ©2010 Baishideng. All rights reserved
World J Gastroenterol. Jul 21, 2010; 16(27): 3437-3444
Published online Jul 21, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i27.3437
Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization with a fine-powder formulation of cisplatin for hepatocellular carcinoma
Kazuhiro Kasai, Akira Ushio, Kei Sawara, Yasuhiro Miyamoto, Yukiho Kasai, Kanta Oikawa, Hidekatsu Kuroda, Yasuhiro Takikawa, Kazuyuki Suzuki
Kazuhiro Kasai, Akira Ushio, Kei Sawara, Yasuhiro Miyamoto, Yukiho Kasai, Kanta Oikawa, Hidekatsu Kuroda, Yasuhiro Takikawa, Kazuyuki Suzuki, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Iwate Medical University, Morioka, Iwate 020-8505, Japan
Author contributions: Kasai K and Ushio A contributed equally to this work; Kasai K, Ushio A, Sawara K, Miyamoto Y, Kasai Y, Oikawa K, Kuroda H, Takikawa Y and Suzuki K designed the research; Kasai K and Ushio A performed the research and analyzed the data; Kasai K wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Kazuhiro Kasai, MD, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Iwate Medical University, Uchimaru 19-1, Morioka, Iwate 020-8505, Japan. kaz-k@yc4.so-net.ne.jp
Telephone: +81-19-6515111 Fax: +81-19-6524666
Received: January 21, 2010
Revised: March 10, 2010
Accepted: March 17, 2010
Published online: July 21, 2010
Abstract

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) using a suspension of a fine-powder formulation of cisplatin (DDPH) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS: The study population was comprised of 164 patients who were treated by TACE alone. Of these patients, 76 underwent TACE using a suspension of DDPH in lipiodol (LPD) (DDPH group), and the remaining 88 underwent TACE with an emulsion of doxorubicin (ADM) with LPD (ADM group). We compared the DDPH group with the ADM group in terms of the objective early response rate, progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS: The objective early response rate in the DDPH group was significantly higher than that in the ADM group (54% vs 24%, P < 0.001). The PFS rate in the DDPH group was also significantly higher than that in the ADM group (P < 0.001). Moreover, the OS in the DDPH group was significantly longer than that in the ADM group (P = 0.002). Although the incidence rate of nausea or vomiting in the DDPH group was higher than that in the ADM group, the ADM group showed a higher incidence rate of the adverse events of hepatic arterial damage and leucopenia. No other serious complications were observed in either group.

CONCLUSION: We conclude that TACE using a suspension of DDPH in LPD could be a useful treatment for HCC.

Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma, DDPH, Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, Cisplatin, Doxorubicin