Are autologous bone marrow stem cell transplantation and transcatheter arterial embolization the best choices for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatic dysfunction? Report of a case

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effects of autologous bone marrow stem cell transplantation (AMSCT) and transarterial embolization (TAE) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and hepatic dysfunction. A 58-year-old male with HCC and hepatic function of Child's class C was treated with 8 ml of a lipiodol emulsion by injection into the artery feeding of his tumor, and > 10(8) bone marrow stem cells were isolated from 400 ml bone marrow and then injected into the right hepatic artery. The patient's laboratory examinations revealed a progressive decrease in total bilirubin (from 264.8 to 77.9 mu mol/L) and direct bilirubin (from 222.0 to 59.7 mu mol/L) after 1 month, and a repeat CT showed that most of the tumor was filled with lipiodol. The combined treatment using AMSCT and TAE is a good choice of treatment for HCC patients who are unable to tolerate TACE due to hepatic dysfunction.