Osamu Ikeda MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Yutaka Nakasone MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Akihiko Arakawa MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Yoshitaka Tamura MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Yasuyuki Yamashita MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To compare the prognosis, hospital stay, and medical costs in patients with highly advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Between April 2005 and March 2007, 38 patients eligible for aggressive treatment such as surgery, transcatheter arterial infusion chemoembolization, or radiofrequency ablation were randomly divided into 3 groups. Group A (n=14, mean age 65 years) received transcatheter arterial infusion chemotherapy (TAI) (mean 2 times, range 1-6 times) with cisplatin (100 mg/body). Group B (n=14, mean age 65 years) underwent radiation therapy (RT) (total dose 45 Gy), and Group C (n=10, mean age 71 years) was not treated. We compared the three groups with respect to prognosis, hospital stay, and medical costs. For statistical analysis we used the t- test; survival was evaluated by the Kaplan Meier method (log-rank test)

Survival ranged from 4 to 18 months (mean ± SD, 8.8 ± 1.5 months). In group A, B, and C, the survival time was 14, 11, and 6 months, respectively; it was significantly longer in groups A and B than in group C (p < 0.05). The difference between groups A and B was not statistically significant. Renal dysfunction appeared in 4 of 14 (29%) group A patients; these patients died for less than 4 months. One of 14 (7%) group B patients died from gastrointestinal hemorrhage. The medical costs were approximately US$ 5,000 and US$ 4,500 in group A and B, respectively; the difference was not statistically significant.

Patients with advanced HCC who received TAI or RT tended to survive longer. Renal function tests are necessary for indication determination of TAI of patients with advanced HCC before TAI.

we obtained prior informed consent from 38 patients with incurable advanced HCC to be included in this study.

Ikeda, O, Nakasone, Y, Arakawa, A, Tamura, Y, Yamashita, Y, Prognosis of Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated by Transcatheter Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy, Radiation Therapy, or Untreated: Comparison Study.  Radiological Society of North America 2007 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 25 - November 30, 2007 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2007/5006599.html