A case report of hepatocellular carcinoma with hepatic and portal venous tumor thrombus and multiple intrahepatic metastasis who survived over 1 year after the operation with combined locoregional chemotherapy

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with vascular invasion and/or intrahepatic metastasis (IM) has a poor prognosis, so advanced HCC may be considered as a contraindication for hepatectomy. We experienced a case of HCC with hepatic venous and portal venous tumor thrombus and multiple IM who survived over 1 year after the operation with combined locoregional chemotherapy. (Case): A 67-year-old male patient was diagnosed with HCC with extracapsular invasion after transarterial embolization (TAE). CT scan revealed the HCC had a right portal venous tumor thrombus and multiple IM. Posterior lobectomy and thrombectomy of hepatic venous and portal venous tumor thrombus and placement of portal venous catheter ware performed. From the first day after operation the patient received continuous intravenous and intraportal 5-FU for 3 weeks. At the first month after operation, TAE and PEIT were given against residual IM. After discharge the patient received hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (MTX/CDDP/5-FU/Leucovorin). Fourteen months after operation, the patient is surviving in good physical condition.     

Modified pharmacokinetic modulation chemotherapy (PMC) with medication of UFT and intraarterial infusion of 5-FU for advanced unresectable HCC

Advanced unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was treated with modified pharmacokinetic modulation chemotherapy (PMC). METHOD: Modified PMC consists of medication with UFT and intraarterial infusion of 5-FU. The dose of UFT is 300 or 400 mg/day. The infusion to hepatic artery of 5-FU is performed with 500 mg/body in an outpatient clinic once a week from reservoir port for 5 hours. RESULTS: The number of recurrent cases after hepatectomy was 5, and that of initial cases with unresectable HCC was 3. Three cases had tumor thrombus in the main portal branch. One patient had tumor thrombus in the inferior vena cava, which reached to the right atrium. The mean number of infusions in all cases was 21. One case showed PR, and 3 cases NC. Three of 6 mortality cases died from liver failure without tumor progression. One year survival rates of the patients with tumor thrombus in the portal trunk or IVC were 75.0%. The mean survival period of these cases was 12.5 +/- 4.2 months. CONCLUSION: Modified PMC had no severe side effect and was effective for advanced unresectable HCC.     

A case of hepatocellular carcinoma with portal tumor thrombus effectively treated by arterial infusion chemotherapy with low-dose cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil

A 69-year-old female with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma was treated with continuous arterial infusion of low-dose cisplatin (10 mg/body/day) and 5-fluorouracil (250 mg/body/day). The regimen was continued for 5 days then discontinued for 2 days, and repeated for 4 weeks. The portal tumor thrombus almost disappeared and HCC was smaller than before chemotherapy. Tumor marker (AFP and PIVKA-II) decreased remarkably. As tumor markers increased again 2 months later, the same regimen chemotherapy was performed once more. The patient was treated with arterial chemotherapy as an outpatient. The present case of hepatocellular carcinoma with portal tumor thrombus was effectively treated by arterial infusion chemotherapy with low dose cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil.     

Anticancer effect of UFT in intrahepatic recurrence with tumor embolus in the left portal vein after hepatectomy of hepatoma--a case report

A 65-year-old man was diagnosed as having hepatoma (HCC) in the area of S5 and S8. Anterior segmentectomy was performed on September, 1984. TAE (Sandwich therapy) via r. hepatic artery was performed for the intrahepatic recurrence one and half years after hepatectomy. However, the tumor embolus in the l. portal vein with intrahepatic recurrence occurred, and intraarterial infusion chemotherapy (IAC) using CDDP 150 mg was performed via proper hepatic artery. The decrement of AFP value was observed for a short time after IAC therapy. Therefore, UFT 300 mg daily, was administered. For two and half months after UFT administration, the elevation of AFP value continued from 665 ng/ml to 4150 ng/ml, and decreased rapidly below 20 ng/ml in the following 2 months. The tumor embolus in the l. portal vein was remarkably reduced on computed tomogram examination. This case suggests the usefulness of UFT for the intrahepatic recurrence with tumor embolus in the portal vein after hepatectomy for HCC.     

Successful treatment for advanced cholangiocellular carcinoma with intrahepatic metastasis and/or portal vein tumor thrombi by intraarterial chemotherapy combined with 5-fluorouracil, adriamycin and cisplatin (FAP)--two cases report

The patients of unresectable cholangiocellular carcinoma (CCC) have extremely poor prognosis. Case 1 was a 72-year-old male who had CCC in the left lobe of liver with intrahepatic metastasis. From June 2003, he received hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (FAP: 5-fluorouracil 250 mg/day continuous infusion, day 1-5, adriamycin 10 mg/day, day 1, and CDDP 10 mg/day, day 1). After 5 courses, abdominal CT revealed that the main tumor had regressed. Case 2 was a 66-year-old male who had CCC with portal vein tumor thrombus of anterior branch (Vp2). He received FAP arterial infusion chemotherapy that was a same regimen as with the case 1 patient. After 5 courses were administered, Abdominal CT revealed that the size of the main tumor at S8 had not changed, and that portal vein tumor thrombus had disappeared. In both cases, there was no complication related to the chemotherapy. They are alive for more than 1 year after chemotherapy had started. FAP hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy might be promising as an effective therapy for non-resectable CCC without extra hepatic metastasis.     

Successful treatment of combined intraarterial (5-fluorouracil and adriamycin and cisplatin) infusion chemotherapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with multiple intrahepatic metastases and/or portal vein thrombosis--two case reports

Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy has been often selected as a therapeutic option for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with multiple intrahepatic metastases and/or portal vein thrombosis. We successfully treated and obtained CR in the 2 cases of far advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with intraarterial infusion chemotherapy (FAP). Case 1 was a 71-year-old male who had advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with intrahepatic metastasis (IM3) which was recurrent after two surgeries. He received hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (FAP: 5-fluorouracil 500 mg/day: continuous infusion, day 1-5, adriamycin 10 mg/day, day 1, CDDP 10 mg/day, day 1). After 10 courses, abdominal CT revealed that the viable lesions had completely disappeared (CR). This patient is still alive with no recurrence after 21 months from the beginning of this treatment. Case 2 was a 74-year-old male who had advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein thrombi (Vp4) and intrahepatic metastasis (IM3). He received FAP arterial infusion chemotherapy with the same protocol as case 1. After 8 courses of this therapy, CT revealed that these lesions had disappeared (CR). This patient is still alive with no recurrence after 9 months from the beginning of this treatment. For 15 patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma using a same protocol, the response rate of this therapy was 33.3% (CR & PR). These findings suggested that combined arterial infusion chemotherapy of FAP may be feasible and a promising modality for the advanced HCC with intrahepatic metastases and/or portal vein thrombosis.     

A case of AFP producing early gastric cancer successfully treated with small dose CDDP and 5-FU (PF) therapy]

A case of AFP producing early gastric cancer successfully treated with a small dose of CDDP and 5-FU therapy administered intermittedly is reported with a review of the literature. A 63-year-old male was admitted to our hospital because of liver metastasis with a high level of serum AFP (185.8 ng/ml) three months after gastrectomy. Systemic chemotherapy was performed twice with a regimen of CDDP 20 mg and 5-FU 750 mg/day in 5 days. After hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) was performed once, the patient obtained partial response according to CT scan and was discharged. After he underwent HAIC once as an outpatient, liver metastasis completely disappeared 5 months after surgery. He was administered oral 5-FU, 150 mg and Krestin 3.0 g/day and underwent HAIC with CDDP 20 mg and 5-FU 750 mg/day every 2 weeks. After serum AFP level was returned to the normal range 7 months after surgery; HAIC was performed every 4 weeks and continued until one year after surgery. One year and 11 months after surgery, serum AFP remains within the normal limit and there is no evidence of recurrence.     

A case of AFP-producing gastric cancer after curative operation effectively treated with chemotherapies including hepatic arterial infusion therapy

A 63-year-old woman was admitted complaining of epigastralgia. An endoscopic examination revealed a Borrmann type 2 lesion at the greater curvature of the middle third in the stomach. Abdominal computed tomography detected no liver metastasis. The preoperative serum alpha-phetoprotein (AFP) level was elevated to 242.9 ng/ml. 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) was given 200 mg/day for 26 days orally. Distal gastrectomy with D3+ No. 16b1 lymph node dissection, cholecystectomy and hepatic arterial canulation were performed, and mitomycin C 20 mg was injected intravenously during the operation. Immunohistochemical staining of the specimen for AFP by the SAB method was positive in the cancer lesion. After the operation, FP (cisplatin 100 mg on day 1, 5-FU 750 mg on days 1-3) therapy of one course and intrahepatic arterial infusion therapy using adriamycin 10-20 mg every 2 weeks for 7 months were conducted. Moreover, the patient took UFT 400 mg/day for 26 months orally on an outpatient basis as an adjuvant chemotherapy. The only toxicity was neutropenia (grade 3), but it abated without an interruption in the chemotherapy. The AFP level declined gradually, and returned to the normal range 1 month after surgery. The patient is still alive with no sign of hepatic metastasis or recurrence 7 years and 7 months after the gastrectomy.     

Successful treatment of multiple hepatocellular carcinoma with tumor thrombi in the major portal branches by intraarterial 5-fluorouracil perfusion chemotherapy combined with subcutaneous interferon-alpha and hepatectomy

We experienced a patient who received successful treatment for multiple hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) nodules, with tumor thrombi in the major portal branches, with intraarterial 5-fluorouracil perfusion chemotherapy combined with subcutaneous interferon-alpha administration. The patient was a 50-year-old man with hepatitis C virus and HCC. The tumors consisted of a 5-cm main nodule in the right lobe (segment 8) and multiple intrahepatic metastases. The tumor also involved portal vein thrombosis throughout the right portal branch. After two cycles of interferon-alpha/5-fluorouracil combination chemotherapy, tumor markers demonstrated a decreasing tendency. Nine months after the initiation of this therapy, the tumors were limited to the right lobe and were surgically removed by S8 subsegmentectomy, S5 partial hepatectomy, and portal thrombectomy. The serum levels of both alpha-fetoprotein and protein induced by vitamin K absence II fell to normal levels after hepatic resection. Fifty-eight months after the first treatment, he is alive with several recurrent nodules in the liver. In conclusion, the interferon-alpha/5-fluorouracil combination therapy is a useful treatment for HCC in patients who have multiple intrahepatic metastases and portal vein thrombosis. In addition to this therapy, combined modality therapy including, for example, surgical resection, can sometimes have a dramatic therapeutic effect, shown by tumor markers reverting to normal levels.     

Hepatic arterial infusion of 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin for unresectable or recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma with tumor thrombus of the portal vein

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of hepatic arterial infusion of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin (CDDP) for unresectable or recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with tumor thrombus of the trunk or first branches of the portal vein (PVTT). METHODS: Seven unresectable or recurrent HCC patients with PVTT were enrolled in this study. A one-week course of chemotherapy consisted of intraarterial administration of CDDP (10 mg on days 1-5) for 1 h and 5-FU (250 mg on days 1-5) for 24 h, followed by cessation of administration for the subsequent 2 days (days 6 and 7). Three or more sequential courses of chemotherapy were given through an implanted reservoir. RESULTS: Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels before the chemotherapy were >20 ng/ml in six of the seven patients. Serum AFP levels were decreased in four of the six patients after chemotherapy, including two patients (cases 1 and 7) whose AFP levels later returned to normal. Six of the seven patients had measurable lesions in the liver, with a response rate of 33%. In three of the seven patients (43%), PVTTs decreased in size or disappeared after chemotherapy. The mean and median survival periods of all patients were 8.0 and. 7.5 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The chemotherapy described in this report is beneficial in terms of survival for HCC patients with PVTT for whom transcatheter arterial embolization or surgical treatment is contraindicated.     

A case of unresectable cholangiocellular carcinoma treated with surgery followed by combination chemotherapy

The patient was a 44-year-old man, who was investigated for lateral abdominal pain and liver dysfunction, and subsequently referred to our department with a diagnosis of unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma (CCC). Radiological examinations revealed the huge mass in the right lobe of the liver with intrahepatic metastasis in the left lobe. The main tumor was surgically removed, but the metastases were not removed. A month after the operation, a subcutaneous implant reservoir was indwelled for repeated transcatheter hepatic arterial chemo infusion therapy (5-fluorouracil 500 mg/day continuous infusion, day 1-5, and CDDP 10 mg/day, day 1) from the right femoral artery. After 15 courses of home anti-cancer chemotherapy, abdominal CT revealed that the size of intrahepatic metastasis in the left lobe of the liver had not shown growth, whereas other metastitic sites popped up in the caudate lobe, which were free of chemical agent flow. There was no major complication related to the chemotherapy throughout the post-treatment course. Although he maintained a good level of QOL, he refused further chemotherapy due to depression. He died of liver failure 7 months after the operation. In conclusion, volume reduction surgery followed by transcatheter hepatic arterial chemo infusion might be promising as an effective therapy for non resectable CCC.     

A case of hepatocellular carcinoma effectively treated by intraarterial infusion of CDDP and other agents

It is very common for intraarterial infusion therapy of some anticancer agent to be effective against hepatocellular carcinoma. In this case, the patient was a 74-year-old man who suffered from very advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with tumor thrombus of the intrahepatic portal vein and IVC. He was treated with intraarterial infusion of CDDP, Etoposide, 5-FU, through a catheter placed in the proper hepatic artery. CDDP (30 mg/day) and Etoposide (60 mg/day) were given once every 5 days, and then 5-FU(250 mg/day) was infused daily for 26 days. The patient underwent this protocol study twice in 3 months. After the intraarterial infusion, transarterial embolization using CDDP (100 mg) powder added to lipiodol and aluminum stearate as suspension was done a month later. The tumor regression rate was 84% after intraarterial infusion of CDDP, Etoposide and 5-FU. The tumor thrombus in the intrahepatic portal vein and IVC had completely disappeared. We could not find lipiodol accumulated in the tumor after TAE. Thus, we assumed that the remaining tumor was a necrotic scar and that a complete response was obtained in the patient. There were some side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, pancytopenia and gastritis but no severe complication occurred.     

Good response in case of hepatocellular carcinoma with portal tumor thrombs--a case report of interdisciplinary local therapy]

A 56-year-old male patient with chronic C type hepatitis had HCC which invaded right portal vein trunk (Vp3). In August 2000, we performed intrahepatic artery infusion chemotherapy with CDDP and 5-FU under subcutaneous interferon alpha treatment. In addition, we used chemoradiation therapy for portal tumor thrombus in HCC. As the result of such therapy, the size of HCC and portal tumor thrombus reduced and the level of PIVKA-II decreased. There were no side effects except fever due to interferon alpha treatment. In February 2001, we performed devascularization and RFA therapy for HCC in S7 of liver under laparoscope. The level of PIVKA-II was within the normal range. It is important to perform interdisciplinary therapy appropriate for the HCC status.     

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization prolonged survival in a patient with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma accompanied by tumor thrombus of the portal vein trunk

A 50-year-old man having an advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was admitted to our institution. An abdominal computed tomogram showed infiltrative mass in the right liver with tumor thrombus invading into the main trunk and contralateral branch of the portal vein. Repetitive transcatheter arterial chemoembolization reduced a tumor size and shrunken portal vein tumor thrombus. The tumor marker levels such as AFP and PIVKA-II decreased. During follow-up, he was diagnosed as having an impending rupture of HCC with acute abdominal pain. He was successfully treated with interventional technique. He died of liver failure 66 months after the first treatment. Although he had a highly advanced HCC with tumor thrombus of the portal vein, repetitive transcatheter arterial chemoembolization therapy may prolong survival.     

Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma providing a good QOL

We report a case of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A 73-year-old man with positive HBV and HCV underwent a partial hepatectomy (S6 and S5) twice and transcatheter arterial (chemo) embolization (TAE) four times, thereafter. During these treatments, HCC became intractable and the patient complained of general fatigue. The liver function was Child's classification A, and serum AFP was 6,737 ng/ml. Abdominal CT scan revealed recurrent lesions in the right hepatic lobe and left adrenal gland. The catheter for hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy was inserted from the left femoral artery. Arterial chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU 750 mg) and cisplatin (CDDP 10 mg) was performed every two weeks. During 6 courses of this regimen, a significant side effect did not appear. Abdominal CT revealed no change in size, but serum AFP decreased up to 794 ng/ml and the general fatigue subsided. After 2 months, serum AFP began to increase and became 1454 ng/ml. The regimen of arterial chemotherapy was changed to epirubicin (EPI 40 mg every two weeks) and UFT-E (300 mg/day for four weeks), followed by a week off. An appetite loss (grade 2) appeared, but it could be well controlled. Serum AFP decreased again, up to 54 ng/ml. A good QOL was kept for about one year after the initiation of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy.     

An effective case of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy based on biochemical modulation for hepatic recurrence of non-functioning islet cell carcinoma of the pancreas

A 55-year-old man had a metastasis in segment 3 of the liver 5 months after surgery for non-functioning islet cell carcinoma of the pancreas. The metastatic lesion increased in size in a short period, and other liver micro-metastases that could not be detected by imaging may exist, so hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy was scheduled for 3 months. The patient underwent hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy of 5-fluorouracil (250 mg/day/body for 5 days/week) and adriamycin (10 mg/day/body for 2 days/week) and cisplatin (10 mg/day/body for 5 days/week) and he was put on Leucovorin 30 mg/day as a biochemical modulator of 5-FU and tamoxifen 40 mg/day as a biochemical modulator of ADM. A total 6,000 mg of 5-FU, 100 mg of ADM and 240 mg of CDDP had been administered, until hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy was discontinued because of complicated gastric ulcer. Three months later, the size of the metastatic liver tumor was reduced remarkably and no other metastasis was detected on CT scan, so he underwent partial hepatectomy of the metastatic lesion. No recurrence was found and he has survived in good physical condition during the follow-up period of 5 months after the second operation.     

84例原发性肝癌患者肝动脉化疗栓塞术后预后的影响因素分析

目的 探讨原发性肝癌患者肝动脉化疗栓塞(TACE)术后预后影响因素及预后诊断指标的价值.方法 选取行TACE治疗的84例原发性肝癌患者,采用Cox风险比例模型分析患者的预后因素,另选取80例肝囊肿患者为对照组,采用酶联免疫吸附法测定两组患者的血清AFP、SCC、CYFRA21-1水平.结果 经Cox风险比例模型分析可知,门脉癌栓、肝内转移、Child-Pugh分级、AFP术后阳性、SCC术后阳性、CYFRA21-1术后阳性是原发性肝癌患者远期预后的独立危险因素.原发性肝癌组患者TACE术前、术后血清AFP、SCC、CYFRA21-1水平及AFP、SCC、CYFRA21-1阳性率均高于对照组,而TACE术后血清AFP、SCC、CYFRA21-1水平及AFP、SCC、CYFRA21-1阳性率低于TACE术前,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05).结论 AFP术后阳性、SCC术后阳性、CYFRA21-1术后阳性是原发性肝癌患者TACE术后预后的独立危险因素,在预测原发性肝癌患者TACE术后预后方面具有潜在的临床价值.     

Significance of reduction surgery for giant hepatocellular carcinoma with diffuse lung metastases and multiple intrahepatic metastases

Continuous systemic infusion of low-dose cisplatin (CDDP) (10 mg/body/day) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) (500 mg/body/day) was performed for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after hepatectomy with diffuse lung metastases and multiple intrahepatic metastases. This infusion chemotherapy, cisplatin was continued for five days, and discontinued for two days, whereas 5-fluorouracil was administered every day and repeated four weeks as one course basally. Remnant metastases had almost disappeared after systemic chemotherapy for 10 weeks. In our experience, the response rate in 13 patients who underwent reduction surgery for multiple HCC was 84.6%. Continuous infusion of low-dose CDDP/5-FU may be effective in patients having absolute non-curative resection.     

A successful case of more than 5 years of disease free survival in hepatocellular carcinoma with tumor thrombus to the right main branch of portal vein after repeated hepatic resection following transhepatic arterial embolization (TAE)

A case is a male in his 50's. He received hepatic resections twice for hepatocellular carcinoma. Recurrence was pointed out in the residual liver with tumor thrombus to the right branch of the portal vein. The serum level of AFP was 648 ng/ml. We performed transhepatic arterial embolization (TAE) with Epi-ADM, CDDP, Lipiodol and spongel through the right hepatic artery before re-hepatectomy. Posterior segmentectomy with an extraction of portal vein thrombus was performed. Pathological findings showed complete necrosis not only in the main tumor but in the portal vein thrombus also. He is alive for more than 5 years without recurrence after surgeries following pre-operative TAE.     

A long-term survival case of hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein and inferior vena cava tumor thrombi

We report a case of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) successfully treated by hepatic arterial infusion of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) combined with systemic administration of interferon (IFN)-α and trans-arterial infusion (TAI) therapy of cisplatin (CDDP). A case was a 60-year-old man who had right upper abdominal pain and back pain. The abdominal CT revealed an early enhanced lesion in the posterior segment of the liver with portal vein and inferior vena caval tumor thrombi and multiple intrahepatic metastases. Tumor markers were elevated, AFP 2,480 ng/mL, PIVKA-II 31,900 mAU/mL. The patient underwent 4 courses of IFN-α/5-FU combination therapy and 8 times of TAI therapy of CDDP. After these therapies, tumors in the liver disappeared and tumor markers returned to the normal range. The patient is alive more than 58 months after the initial treatment. This case suggests that some patients with advanced HCC with tumor thrombus can get a long-term survival when intrahepatic lesions are controlled by various therapies including IFN-α/5-FU combination therapy.