Treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma by transarterial chemotherapy using reservoirs or one-shot arterial chemotherapy

Abstract A prospective trial was performed in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinomato assess the therapeutic efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemotherapyusing implanted reservoirs (12 patients) or conventional transcatheter arterial chemotherapy(8 patients). Epirubicinat a dose of 40 mg/m2 was given every month in the former, while epirubicinat a dose of 60 mg/m2 was administered every 3 months in the latter. During the 6 months from the introduction of these therapies, hospitalized periods were shorter and total hospital costs were less in the reservoir group than in the conventional chemotherapygroup (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). Transcatheter arterial chemotherapyusing implanted reservoirs can be carried out on a day-carebasis and may be beneficial for the treatment of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.