Transarterial chemoembolization with miriplatin plus epirubicin in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

We aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) using miriplatin plus epirubicin in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

The efficacy of TACE was evaluated by dynamic computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) three months after the procedure according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Cancer Study Group of Japan. Adverse events (AEs), including clinical symptoms, hematological toxicities and blood chemistry toxicities, were assessed using Common Terminology Criteria Version 4.0.

Thirty patients with HCC received TACE with miriplatin (miriplatin group) and 29 patients received TACE with miriplatin plus epirubicin (miriplatin-plus-epirubicin group). AEs, such as anorexia and neutropenia, were observed more frequently in the miriplatin-plus-epirubicin group than in the miriplatin group (p=0.028 and 0.014, respectively). However, there was no significant difference in the incidence of these AEs (grade 3/4) between groups. The objective response rate (ORR), including the complete response (CR) and partial response (PR), was 76.7% in the miriplatin group and 58.6% in the miriplatin-plus-epirubicin group (p=0.224). The median time to progression (TTP) in the miriplatin group and the miriplatin-plus-epirubicin group was 8.2 and 6.1 months, respectively (p=0.123).

Although TACE with miriplatin plus epirubicin was safe and tolerable, no additional anti-tumor effects were observed compared to TACE with miriplatin. Further analysis is required to refine the efficacy of TACE using miriplatin plus epirubicin.