Transcatheter arterial infusion chemotherapy with a fine-powder formulation of cisplatin for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma refractory to transcatheter arterial chemoembolization.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of transcatheter arterial infusion chemotherapy using a fine-powder formulation of cisplatin for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma refractory to transcatheter arterial chemoembolization.

Methods: We retrospectively examined the data of 84 consecutive patients with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization-refractory hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent transcatheter arterial infusion chemotherapy with a fine-powder formulation of cisplatin. Cisplatin was administered at the dose of 65 mg/m(2) into the feeding artery of the hepatocellular carcinoma. The treatment was repeated every 4-6 weeks, until the appearance of evidence of tumor progression or of unacceptable toxicity.

Results: Of the 84 patients, one patient (1.2%) showed complete response and two patients (2.4%) showed partial response, representing an overall response rate of 3.6% (95% confidence interval, 0.7-10.1). Of the remaining, 38 patients (45.2%) showed stable disease and 41 (48.8%) showed progressive disease. The median overall survival, 1-year survival rate and median progression-free survival in the entire subject population were 7.1 months, 27% and 1.7 months, respectively. Major Grade 3 or 4 adverse events included thrombocytopenia in 12 patients (14%) and elevation of the serum aspartate aminotransferase in 33 patients (39%). The gastrointestinal toxicities were mild and reversible.

Conclusions: Transcatheter arterial infusion chemotherapy using a fine-powder formulation of cisplatin appears to have only modest activity, although the toxicity was also only mild, in patients with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization-refractory hepatocellular carcinoma.