Cooperative study on arterial regional chemotherapy for primary liver cancer in Hokkaido.

The Liver Study Group of Hokkaido analyzed a total of 57 patients with non-resectable primary liver cancers, which were treated by intra-arterial adriamycin infusion chemotherapy combined with lipiodol and/or the Gelform embolization of the hepatic arteries. Of the ten patients considered clinical responders, three complete response patients and seven partial response cases were obtained. The overall response rate was 17.5%. The median survival period at each clinical stage was as follows: stage I: 13.0 months, stage II: 16.0 months, stage III: 11.5 months and stage IV: 4.7 months. The common side-effects of this treatment were nausea, vomiting and anorexia. Hematological toxicities were also found, but there was no patient who suffered from severe complications.