Transcatheter arterial immunochemo-embolization for the treatment of unresectable alpha-fetoprotein-positive hepatocellular carcinoma

Transcatheter arterial immunochemo-embolization(TIE) was used to treat 20 patients with unresectable alpha-fetoprotein-positive hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) without severe liver dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic potential and tolerability of TIE. Transcatheter arterial immunochemo-embolization was carried out through hepatic arterial catheterization and injection of a mixture of doxorubicin, mitomycin C and iodized oil into the feeding arteries of tumors followed by injections of gelatin sponge particles in OK-432 and interferon-gamma solution. Finally, the tumor vessels were occluded using gelatin sponge particles in actinomycin D solution. The results of the 20 patients were compared with 79 patients who underwent conventional transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TAE) during the same period. The cumulative survival rates of the patients treated using TIE at 1-, 2- and 3-Year were 66.7%, 40.0% and 21.4%, respectively. The corresponding rates for patients treated using TAE were 55.6%, 50.0% and 18.8%, respectively. No serious complications were found in patient treated using TIE except that high fever and elevation of blood pressure occurred in one patient. In conclusion, transcatheter arterial immunochemo-embolization was safe but did not offer a better therapeutic efficacy for unresectable AFP-positive primary HCC than conventional TAE.