Combination chemotherapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

Patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma carry a poor prognosis, and development of new therapeutic srategies is necessary. In this manuscript, the efficacy of combination chemotherapy was reported. The efficacy of methotrexate-5-fluorouracil, cisplatin, and interferon-alpha-2b combination therapy was demonstrated using 37 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma with major portal vein thrombosis. In eligible 33 patients, there were 5 complete response (CR) and 10 partial response (PR) with a response rate of 45.5%. There was severe transient hematologic toxicity and renal insufficiency. In conclusion, a control study is clearly necessary, however, this combination therapy showed good response to advanced HCC. Intensive chemotherapy should be tried in advanced HCC with major portal vein invasion.