Addition of n-butyl cyanoacrylate to classic transarterial chemoembolization may improve the radiological response in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

OBJECTIVE:

Transarterial chemoembolization is the treatment of choice for intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma. However, there are no clear data supporting transarterial chemoembolization vs. transarterial embolization or regarding the best chemotherapeutic agent, which may suggest a preponderant role of ischemia over chemotherapeutic action. This study sought to evaluate the radiological response and outcome of transarterial chemoembolization modified by n-butyl cyanoacrylate addition compared to conventional transarterial chemoembolization in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

A retrospective review identified forty-seven patients who underwent modified chemoembolization and thirty-three who underwent conventional chemoembolization between June 2006 and December 2011. The radiological response was reassessed using the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. The sustained complete response, time to progression and overall survival rates were also analyzed.

RESULTS:

Complete response rates were significantly higher in patients who had undergone modified chemoembolization compared to those who had undergone conventional treatment (61.7% and 24.3%, respectively; p<0.001). The rate of sustained complete response was significantly higher in the modified chemoembolization group compared to the conventional chemoembolization group (median of 236 and 37 days, respectively; p<0.001). Time to progression was significantly higher in the modified chemoembolization group compared to the conventional chemoembolization group (median of 424 and 201 days, respectively; p=0.042). Overall survival rates revealed no difference between patients who received modified chemoembolization and conventional chemoembolization (median of 483 and 399 days, respectively; p=0.316).

CONCLUSION:

Transarterial chemoembolization modified by n-butyl cyanoacrylate addition was superior to conventional transarterial chemoembolization in terms of the radiological response in the first imaging control. Although the sustained complete response and time to progression rates were higher for the modified chemoembolization group, no differences in overall survival rates were observed.     

肝细胞癌患者TACE治疗前后血清miR-145水平变化及其临床意义

目的 探讨肝细胞癌(HCC)患者在经导管动脉化疗栓塞术(TACE)治疗前后血清microRNA-145(miR-145)水平变化及其临床意义。方法 2013年1月～2015年12月我院收治的72例HCC患者和同期60例健康体检者,采用qRT-PCR法检测血清miR-145水平,采用ROC曲线分析血清miR-145和甲胎蛋白(AFP)预测不良预后的价值。结果 在治疗1个月末,16例(22.2 %)为PR,13例(18.1%)为SD,43例(59.7 %)为PD;HCC组血清miR-145水平为(0.59±0.25),显著低于对照组【(1.02±0.28),P＜0.05】,术后1个月,HCC患者血清miR-145水平为(0.81±0.26),显著高于术前(P＜0.05);不同性别、年龄、肿瘤直径、肿瘤分化、癌栓和Child-Pugh分级患者血清miR-145水平无显著性差异(P＞0.05),而不同TNM分级和术前AFP水平患者之间差异显著(P＜0.05); PD组血清miR-145水平为(0.86±0.21),显著高于PR组或SD组【分别为(0.62±0.19)和(0.75±0.19),P＜0.05】;随访3年,28例(38.9%)患者死亡,其中高miR-14 水平患者3 a生存率为75.6 %,显著高于低水平患者的41.9 %(x²=8.765,P＜0.05);血清miR-145、AFP和miR-145联合AFP预测HCC不良预后的曲线下面积分别为0.871、0.851和0.942,两者联合预测的敏感度为91.7 %,准确度为90.2%。结论 TACE术后检测血清miR-145水平可能预示HCC患者预后较好。     

Idarubicin vs doxorubicin in transarterial chemoembolization of intermediate stage hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND Liver cancer is the fifth most common cancer and the second cause of cancerrelated deaths worldwide.Transarterial chemoembolization(TACE)is the best treatment of intermediate hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Doxorubicin is the most commonly used drug despite a low level of evidence.AIM To compare the objective response rate of idarubicin-based TACE(Ida-TACE)against doxorubicin-based TACE(Dox-TACE)in intermediate stage HCC.METHODS Between January 2012 and December 2014,all patients treated with TACE at our academic hospital were screened.Inclusion criteria were patients with Child-Pugh score A or B,a performance status below or equal to 1,and no prior TACE.Either lipiodol TACE or drug-eluting beads TACE could be performed with 10 mg of idarubicin or 50 mg of doxorubicin.Each patient treated with idarubicin was matched with two doxorubicin-treated patients.The TACE response was assessed by independent radiologists according to the mRECIST criteria.RESULTS Sixty patients were treated with doxorubicin and thirty with idarubicin.There were 93%and 87%of cirrhotic patients and 87%and 70%of Child-Pugh A in the doxorubicin and idarubicin groups,respectively.The median number of HCC per patient was two in both groups with 31%and 26%of single nodules in doxorubicin and idarubicin groups,respectively.Objective response rate after first TACE was 76.7%and 73.3%(P=0.797)with 41.7%and 40.0%complete response in doxorubicin and idarubicin groups,respectively.Progression-free survival was 7.7 mo in both groups,and liver transplant-free survival was 24.9 mo and 21.9 mo in doxorubicin and idarubicin groups,respectively.Safety profiles were similar in both groups,with grade 3-4 adverse events in 35%of Dox-TACE and 43%of Ida-TACEs.CONCLUSION Ida-TACE and Dox-TACE showed comparable results in terms of efficacy and safety.Ida-TACE may represent an interesting alternative to Dox-TACE in the management of patients with intermediate stage HCC.     

Transarterial chemoembolization with hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy plus S-1 for hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND Transarterial chemoembolization(TACE) and hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy(HAIC) have shown promising local benefits for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). S-1, a composite preparation of a 5-fluorouracil prodrug, has proven to be a convenient oral chemotherapeutic agent with definite efficacy against advanced HCC.AIM To evaluate the efficacy and safety of TACE followed by HAIC with or without oral S-1 for treating advanced HCC.METHODS In this single-center, open-label, prospective, randomized controlled trial, 117 participants with advanced HCC were randomized to receive TACE followed by oxaliplatin-based HAIC either with(TACE/HAIC + S-1, n = 56) or without(TACE/HAIC, n = 61) oral S-1 between December 2013 and September 2017. Two participants were excluded from final analysis for withdrawing consent. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival(PFS) and secondary endpoints included overall survival(OS), objective response rate, disease control rate and safety.RESULTS In total, 115 participants(100 males and 15 females; mean age, 57.7 years ± 11.9) were analyzed. The median PFS and OS were 5.0 mo(0.4–58.6 mo)(95% confidence interval(CI): 3.82 to 6.18) vs 4.4 mo(1.1–54.4 mo)(95%CI: 2.54 to 6.26; P = 0.585) and 8.4 mo(0.4–58.6 mo)(95%CI: 6.88 to 9.92) vs 8.3 mo(1.4–54.4 m)(95%CI: 5.71 to 10.96; P = 0.985) in the TACE/HAIC + S-1 and TACE/HAIC groups, respectively. The objective response rate and disease control rate were 30.9% vs 18.4% and 72.7% vs 56.7% in the TACE/HAIC + S-1 and TACE/HAIC groups, respectively. Grade 3/4 adverse events had a similar frequency in both treatment groups.CONCLUSION No improvements in tumor response rates, PFS or OS were observed with the addition of S-1 to TACE/HAIC in advanced HCC. Both treatment regimens had a similar safety profile.     

三维适形放疗联合肝动脉化疗栓塞术治疗中晚期肝癌的临床研究

目的探讨三维适形放射治疗(Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy,3DCRT)联合肝动脉化疗栓塞术(hepatic arterial chemoembolization,TACE)治疗中晚期肝癌的可行性及优势。方法选取60例确诊的无手术指征的中晚期肝癌患者,先行TACE,将导管置于肝固有动脉,灌注5-氟脲嘧1 000 mg+羟基喜树碱20 mg,然后用微导管超选肿瘤供血动脉,将超液化碘油10 ml与吡柔比星30 mg制成碘油化疗乳剂,对肿瘤进行栓塞;而后再注入细微颗粒对肿瘤血管进行栓塞,如PVA颗粒或明胶海绵颗粒,造影复查肿瘤供血动脉消失。3~4周后复查上腹部CT、肝肾功能、血常规,如果肿块体积过大,须再次行TACE治疗,待肿块缩小后,再进行3DCRT;TACE平均为3~5次。所有患者均行3DCRT。结果放疗结束1个月后评价疗效,其中完全缓解(CR)11例,部分缓解(PR)34例,无变化(NC)12例,进展(PD)3例,总有效率(CR+PR)为75%,1年生存率80%,2年生存率35%,3年生存率13.3%,死于非肿瘤相关疾病6例(10%),至随访日生存者5例(8.3%)。全组中位生存时间16个月。结论 3DCRT联合TACE治疗中晚期肝癌是一种安全有效的方法,它能更好地杀灭肿瘤细胞、明显提高肿瘤局控率、延长生存期、提高生存质量,是治疗中晚期肝癌理想、有效的一种方法,值得临床推广应用。     

Predictive value of ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT for transarterial chemolipiodolization of hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM: To investigate the correlation of ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) with clinical features and the prediction of treatment response.METHODS: A total of 83 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients undergoing ¹⁸F-FDG PET before transarterial chemolipiodolization with systemic chemo-infusion between October, 2006 and May, 2009 were retrospectively enrolled. The patients included 68 men and 15 women (mean age, 60 ± 10.7 years). The effect of ¹⁸F-FDG-monitored PET uptake on clinical features and on the evaluated treatment response was ascertained with modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. The PET parameters of maximal standardized uptake value of the tumor (Tsuv_max), the ratio of the tumor maximal standardized uptake value (SUV) to the liver maximal SUV (Tsuv_max/Lsuv_max) and the ratio of tumor maximal SUV to the liver mean SUV (Tsuv_max/Lsuv_mean) were tested as predictive factors.RESULTS: Among the 3 SUV parameters, the Tsuv_max/Lsuv_mean ratio (cutoff value of 1.90) was significantly associated with tumor burden including tumor size, tumor number, α-fetoprotein levels and tumor stage (P < 0.001, P = 0.008, P = 0.011, P < 0.001, respectively). The objective response rates in patients with a high SUV ratio (≥ 1.90) were significantly better than those with a low SUV ratio (< 1.90) (P = 0.020). The overall survival rates of patients exhibiting a low Tsuv_max/Lsuv_mean ratio (< 1.90) and those with a high SUV ratio (≥ 1.90) was 38.2 and 10.3 mo, respectively (P < 0.01). However, the time to progression showed no significant difference between the groups (P = 0.15).CONCLUSION: ¹⁸F-FDG PET can be an important predictor of HCC treatment. In particular, the Tsuv_max/Lsuv_mean ratio (cutoff value of 1.90) can provide useful information in treatment prognosis for HCC patients treated with locoregional therapy.     

吉西他滨联合奥沙利铂经肝动脉化疗栓塞防治肝癌术后复发

目的:探讨吉西他滨联合奥沙利铂经肝动脉化疗栓塞(transcatheter arterial chemoembolization,TACE)在防治肝癌高危患者术后复发中的价值.方法:回顾性分析肝癌术后复发高危患者120例,88例术后3-6wk接受TACE治疗为TACE组,其中43例采用吉西他滨联合奥沙利铂组成的GEMOX方案(GEMOX组),45例使用传统化疗药物方案(对照组);32例因其他原因未接受TACE治疗作为为单纯手术组.通过6mo、12mo的随访,比较各组6mo、12mo术后复发率.结果:TACE组术后6mo、12mo肝内复发率(20.5%、43.8%)明显低于单纯手术组(37.5%、59.4%),两者均有统计学意义(χ2=6.512、4.573,P<0.05).在TACE组中,GEMOX组6mo术后复发率(11.6%)较对照组(28.9%)低,差异有统计学意义(χ2=4.026,P<0.05),两组12mo术后复发率无明显差异(χ2=0.876,P>0.05);在TACE不良反应中,GEMOX组白细胞减少及恶心、呕吐发生率较对照组低,差异有统计学意义(Z=-2.156、-2.295,P<0.05).结论:对肝癌术后复发高危患者进行预防性TACE有助于减少或延缓术后近期复发率,吉西他滨联合奥沙利铂方案疗效更佳.