Preoperative chemotherapy for unresectable primary hepatic malignancies in children.

Eight children presenting with unresectable primary hepatic malignancies were treated with chemotherapy in an attempt to decrease the size of the tumor. Adriamycin was used in all drug regimens, usually in combination with cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and 5-fluorouracil. Seven children exhibited a pronounced, clinical response with marked reduction in the size of the primary tumor as well as any pulmonary metastases present. Four children were able to have complete, uncomplicated surgical excision of residual disease, and three are alive and well off therapy. One patient with hepatocellular carcinoma had compete disappearance of all disease with chemotherapy alone. An approach utilizing preoperative chemotherapy for extensive hepatic malignancies may permit eventual resection of initially inoperable lesions, with long-term survival for these highly lethal malignancies.