| Abstract: | We report a case in which low-dose FP (5-fluorouracil/cisplatin, 5-FU/CDDP) therapy was remarkably effective for stage IVB advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with lung and bone metastases. 5-FU of 250 mg/body/day was continuously infused over 24 hours and CDDP of 10 mg/body/day was infused over 30 minutes from day 1 to day 5 in a week. Administration was continued for 4 weeks as 1 cycle. An 81-year-old woman was diagnosed with HCC in S3 and underwent a transcatheter hepatic arterial embolization (TAE) for the tumor in December 2000. The patient complained of lumbago and hip pain in July 2001 and was admitted for dysbasia in September 2001. On admission, the level of serum AFP and PIVKA-II elevated to a remarkable 59,300 ng/ml and 25,700 AU/ml. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed multiple bilateral lung metastases and abdominal CT showed a tumor 12 x 11 x 10 cm in diameter in the right, iliac bone. No recurrent sign was found in the liver except for the accumulation of Lipiodol. Low-dose FP therapy of 2 cycles was performed. The levels of serum AFP and PIVKA-II decreased to 374 ng/ml from 59,300 and to 35 AU/ml from 25,700, respectively, after this therapy. The CT findings revealed that a complete response (CR) was obtained for lung metastases and a partial response (PR) was obtained for bone metastases after completion of course 2, and maintained thereafter. The oral UFT of 600 mg was administered after completion of course 2 in the outpatient setting. The level of AFP and PIVKA-II decreased to 13.2 ng/ml and to 26 AU/ml, respectively, in February 2002. No sign of recurrence was seen during the 13 months of follow-up after low-dose FP therapy. Toxic events consisted of only leukopenia (grade 1). Her quality of life (QOL) was fair during this therapy. Low-dose FP therapy is possibly useful for patients with stage IVB advanced HCC. |
