[Successful therapy with tegafur and lentinan after TAE for hepatocellular carcinoma--a case report]

A 46-year-old male (performance status 1) with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which diffusely involved the anterior segment of the right lobe, occluded the second portal branch and metastased to the left lobe (stage IV-A), was on combined therapy with TAE of lipiodol (LPD), mitomycin C (MMC) 10 mg and gelatin sponge at the time of angiography on March 16, 1987. Immunochemotherapy with tegafur suppository (Teg sp) 1,000 mg/day and OK432 i.m. was performed for one month after TAE. Instead of OK432, lentinan (LNT) 2 mg in 20% glucose sol. 20 ml i.v./wk was combined with Teg sp 1,000 mg/day from May 13, 1987. Teg sp was reduced to 1,000 mg/2 days from June of the same year, and since then the same therapy of Teg + LNT has been continuing even now. Serum AFP values showing 150 X 10(4) ng/ml at maximum were decreased down to less than 20 ng/ml 13 months after this therapy (total doses: Teg ca. 250 g, LNT 108 mg), remaining still normal. Marked reduction in the size of the lesion (PR) by the therapy has also been proved by the body CT. His PS is now in grade 0. Although in this case the initial steep decline in AFP values was possibly brought about by TAE, the successive antitumor effect indicated by persistent low AFP values may have been mainly due to Teg + LNT. Collection of data on the therapy is needed to clarify this point.