[Treatment of irresectable hepatocellular carcinoma with repeated transient dearterialization]

A joint clinical prospective study between SUMS and Lund university was reported. 40 patients with the irresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) admitted to the department of HPB surgery in the First Affiliated Hospital of SUMS were randomized into two groups: (20 each) from Feb. 1994 to April, 1995. The patients were treated with hepatic artery ligation (HAL) and repeated transient dearterialization (RTD) respectively. Postoperative response to treatment, liver function change (ALT), AFP, imaging examination of the tumor, patient's survival were evaluated. It has been shown that RTD is superior to HAL in terms of the objective response to the therapy, reduction of tumor size, patient's symptom relief, liver function and AFP changes and patient's survival. In the RTD group, the effective rate was 70%, the mean survival time was 8.2 months, and the 6-month survival rate was 79.7%. In HAL group, the effective rate was only 5%, the mean survival time was 5.1 months, 6 months survival rate was 35.8%. It has been postulated that RTD may prevent the rapid development of collateral circulation and increase the production of oxygen-derived free radicals, which may be the responsible factors for the ischemic treatment of hepatic tumours. We consider that RTD would be a promising polliative method for HCC.