[Complete disappearance of metastatic lung tumors and mediastinal lymphnode in a case of hepatocellular carcinoma treated by low-dose 5-fluorouracil/cisplatin therapy].

We report a case of complete disappearance of multiple lung metastases and mediastinal lymphnode metastasis by intravenous administration of 5-fluorouracil/cisplatin (FP) after operation for primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A 54-year-old male was diagnosed with HCC associated with alcoholic liver cirrhosis. He also had a single lung metastasis at the time of diagnosis. After hepatic resection for HCC, the metastatic tumor progressed and became multiple lesions with mediastinal lymphnode involvements. Low-dose FP therapy was performed. Then, 250 mg/m(2)/day of 5-fluorouracil was given intravenously for 5 days weekly by continuous infusion and 10 mg/m(2)/day of cisplatin by intravenous infusion. Both lung metastases and mediastinal lymphnode metastasis were decreasing after six cycles of this therapy. Because of alcoholism and liver damage, chemotherapy could not be continued. But all metastatic lesions were completely disappeared ten months after this therapy. Bone marrow suppression (grade 4) was observed during the chemotherapy but resolved by interruption of treatment. Low-dose FP therapy may well be useful for patients suffering from advanced HCC with distant metastasis.