[Assessment of three-year survival cases with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma treated by arterial chemotherapy]

The survival rate was studied in 218 patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in whom arterial chemotherapy was performed by one-shot injection of anticancer agents (one-shot therapy) was studied. Tumor factors and clinical features of 6 out of 218 cases with more than 3-year survival, were also studied. The following results were obtained; (1) One-year survival rate of the cases which were compatible with criteria for one-shot therapy in our department was 35.6%, and the three-year rate was 7.0%. On the other hand, one-year survival rate of the cases not compatible with same was 1.5%. The latter survival rate was worse than that for conservative care. (2) The longest survival time was 6 years and 5 months after one-shot therapy. (3) The tumor progression rate was above 40% in 4 out of 6 cases which survived more than 3 years, and tumor thrombus in the portal vein was noted in 3 cases. Clinical stage was I-II. (4) One-shot therapy was performed repeatedly after initial treatment in these 6 cases. In 3 of the 6 cases, TAE or percutaneous ethanol injection therapy was performed for recurrence or progression of HCC during observation. The results suggest that criteria for one-shot therapy and multidisciplinary treatment during observation are necessary.