[Role of oral administration of 1-hexyl-carbamoyl-5-fluorouracil (HCFU) for multimodal treatment of inoperable cirrhotics with hepatocellular carcinoma].

1-Hexylcarbamoyl-5-fluorouracil (HCFU) was orally administered at doses of 300-600 mg daily for 7-360 days to 27 inoperable cirrhotics with hepatocellular carcinoma. They were simultaneously treated with transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE), and mitomycin C (MMC) injected into the hepatic artery and/or subcutaneous injection of OK-432. Efficient treatment according to the Koyama and Saito (PR and MR) and Karnofsky classification (I -A and I -B) was obtained in 40.7 and 29.6%, respectively, of all the patients; 81.8 and 54.5%, respectively, in the patients treated with TAE and intraarterial MMC injection and 25.0 and 12.5%, respectively, in those given MMC therapy. However, the total doses of HCFU administered (3-216 g) were not related to either efficient or inefficient treatment. Survival rate obtained 1 year following diagnosis of HCC was much better in the patients treated with TAE and/or MMC therapy (greater than 70%) than in those without these treatments (20%). TAE intervals in HCC patients given repeated TAE and intrahepatic MMC injection were slightly prolonged by oral administration of HCFU (more than 12 g). The results suggest that HCFU might be effective for prevention of HCC recurrence following TAE.