Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization with anticancer drug in iodized oil for primary hepatic carcinoma

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization using a suspension of anticancer drug in iodized oil combined with Gelfoam embolization was performed in 85 patients with advanced primary hepatic carcinoma. Long-term retention of iodized oil in the tumor was observed in 90% of the cases, and changes in tumor size were observable by abdominal X-ray film on follow-up studies. There was a decrease of tumor size in all cases and the overall 1-year survival rate was 43%. In tumors whose diameter was less than 20 cm and in patients without portal vein thrombosis the survival rate was nearly 60%. Combined treatment with anticancer drug in iodized oil and Gelfoam embolization of the proper hepatic artery was superior to use of the suspension alone. There was also better detection of small cancer nodules by the suspension as compared to conventional angiography.