[The palliative treatment of primary hepatocellular carcinoma by chemoembolization]

16 patients (12 men, 4 women; mean age 62.8 +/- 9.8 years) with inoperable advanced hepatocellular carcinoma were treated palliatively by chemoembolization. 50 mg/m2 epirubicin, 30 mg/m2 cisplatin, 8 ml fatty acid ethyl ester of iodinated papaver oil and 10 ml nonionic contrast medium were injected under fluoroscopy into the proper hepatic artery. Partial remission was achieved in 10 patients after a median of 4 months. In 4 patients there was no change in the morphological and biochemical findings, in two others the tumour progressed, i.e. an overall response rate of 62.5%. The median survival time was 9 months. There were no serious complications ascribable to the treatment. Chemoembolization is a palliative treatment with few side effects which can also be effective in prolonging survival time in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.