Combination chemotherapy and radiation for palliation of hepatocellular carcinoma

3D conformal radiotherapy combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM: To compare transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and 3D conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) with TACE monotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS: We searched all the eligible studies from the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Medline, Embase, and CNKI. The meta-analysis was performed to assess the survival benefit, tumor response, and the decline in α-fetoprotein (AFP) level. According to the heterogeneity of the studies, pooled OR with 95%CI were calculated using the fixed-effects or random-effects model. An observed OR > 1 indicated that the addition of 3D-CRT to TACE offered survival benefits to patients that could be considered statistically significant. Statistical analyses were performed using Review Manager Software.

RESULTS: Ten studies met the criteria to perform a meta-analysis including 908 HCC participants, with 400 patients in the TACE/3D-CRT combination group and 508 in the TACE alone group. TACE combined with 3D-CRT significantly improved 1-, 2- and 3-year overall survival compared with TACE monotherapy (OR = 1.87, 95%CI: 1.37-2.55, P < 0.0001), (OR = 2.38, 95%CI: 1.78-3.17, P < 0.00001) and (OR = 2.97, 95%CI: 2.10-4.21, P < 0.00001). In addition, TACE plus 3D-CRT was associated with a higher tumor response (complete remission and partial remission) (OR = 3.81; 95%CI: 2.70-5.37; P < 0.00001), and decline rates of AFP level (OR = 3.24, 95%CI: 2.09-5.02, P < 0.00001).

CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis demonstrated that TACE combined with 3D-CRT was better than TACE monotherapy for patients with HCC, which needs to be confirmed by large multicenter trials．

The Indian National Association for Study of the Liver (INASL) Consensus on Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in India: The Puri Recommendations

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the major causes of morbidity, mortality and healthcare expenditure in patients with chronic liver disease. There are no consensus guidelines on diagnosis and management of HCC in India. The Indian National Association for Study of the Liver (INASL) set up a Task-Force on HCC in 2011, with a mandate to develop consensus guidelines for diagnosis and management of HCC, relevant to disease patterns and clinical practices in India. The Task-Force first identified various contentious issues on various aspects of HCC and these issues were allotted to individual members of the Task-Force who reviewed them in detail. The Task-Force used the Oxford Center for Evidence Based Medicine-Levels of Evidence of 2009 for developing an evidence-based approach. A 2-day round table discussion was held on 9th and 10th February, 2013 at Puri, Odisha, to discuss, debate, and finalize the consensus statements. The members of the Task-Force reviewed and discussed the existing literature at this meeting and formulated the INASL consensus statements for each of the issues. We present here the INASL consensus guidelines (The Puri Recommendations) on prevention, diagnosis and management of HCC in India.

Role of external beam radiation therapy in management of hepatocellular carcinoma

Diagnosis at advanced disease stage and early vascular invasion are the bane of majority of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in India. The currently standardized curative and palliative treatment modalities [surgery, ablative techniques, trans-catheter chemotherapy, systemic chemotherapy] are suboptimal for a significant proportion of disease stages. Interest in radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma has seen a resurgence with revolutionary improvements in targeting radiation doses safely. Encouraging results have been reported with a host of radiation techniques from conformal radiotherapy, stereotactic whole body radiation therapy to charged particle based therapies. The dissemination of this knowledge has been slow across other specialties involved in care of patients with HCC. However the increasing availability of radiotherapy services predicts a hopeful future for wider evaluation of radiotherapy in HCC.

The retrospective cohort study for survival rate in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma receiving radiotherapy or palliative care

Background/Aims

This study was conducted to investigate the assessment of treatment efficacy of radiotherapy (RT) and other therapeutic modalities compared with palliative care only for treatment with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

From 2002 to 2010, based on the case of 47 patients with advanced HCC, we have investigated each patients' Child-Pugh's class, ECOG performance, serum level of alpha fetoprotein and other baseline characteristics that is considered to be predictive variables and values for prognosis of HCC. Out of overall patients, the 29 patients who had received RT were selected for one group and the 18 patients who had received only palliative care were classified for the other. The analysis in survival between the two groups was done to investigate the efficacy of RT.

Results

Under the analysis in survival, the mean survival time of total patients group was revealed between 30.1 months and 45.9 months in RT group, while it was 4.8 months in palliative care group, respectively. In the univariate analysis for overall patients, there were significant factors which affected survival rate like as follows: ECOG performance, Child-Pugh's class, the tumor size, the type of tumor, alpha fetoprotein, transarterial chemoembolization, and RT. The regressive analysis in multivariate Cox for total patients. No treatment under radiotherapy and high level of Child-Pugh's class grade were independent predictors of worse overall survival rate in patients. In contrast, for the subset analysis of the twenty-nine patients treated with radiotherapy, the higher serum level of alpha fetoprotein was an independent predictors of worse overall survival rate in patients.

Conclusions

We found that the survival of patients with advanced HCC was better with radiotherapy than with palliative care. Therefore, radiotherapy could be a good option for in patients with advanced HCC.

The efficacy of hepatic resection after neoadjuvant transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and radiation therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma greater than 5 cm in size

In cases of large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), neoadjuvant treatment such as transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and radiation therapy can be performed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of these treatments prior to hepatic resection. Between January 1994 and May 2007, 16 patients with HCC greater than 5 cm in size were treated with TACE and radiation therapy prior to hepatic resection. The clinicopathologic factors were reviewed retrospectively. Of the 16 patients, there were 14 men and two women, and the median age was 52.5 yr. TACE was performed three times in average, and the median radiation dosage was 45 Gy. The median diameter of tumor on specimen was 9.0 cm. The degree of tumor necrosis was more than 90% in 14 patients. The median survival time was 13.3 months. Five patients had survived more than 2 yr and there were two patients who had survived more than 5 yr. Although the prognosis of large HCC treated with neoadjuvant therapy is not satisfactory, some showed long-term survival loger than 5 yr. Further research will be required to examine the survival and disease control effect in a prospective randomized study.

Results of three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy and thalidomide for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effectiveness of three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy and thalidomide in the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

METHODS

Between 1999 and 2003, 121 patients (mean age, 54.4 +/- 12.4 years; range, 20-81 years) with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma received three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy and thalidomide. Radiation was delivered in 1.5 Gy fractions twice daily for 5 days a week, for a total dose of 45-75 Gy. Mean treatment volume was 429.52 +/- 408.50 cm(3) (range, 26.89-2284.82 cm(3)). Thalidomide was given concomitantly: 200 mg/day in 109 patients, 300 mg/day in 8 patients and 400 mg/day in 4 patients. Treatment responses, survival rates and factors affecting survival were analyzed.

RESULTS

Treatment responses were observed in 61% of the patients. Liver cirrhosis (P = 0.001) and tumor size (P = 0.001) significantly affected the tumor responses. Overall survival at 6, 12 and 24 months was 84.8, 60.0 and 44.6%, respectively. On univariate analysis, liver cirrhosis (P = 0.003), Karnofsky performance status (P = 0.007), tumor size (P < 0.001), portal vein tumor thrombosis (P < 0.001) and alpha-fetoprotein level (P = 0.003) were shown to significantly affect survival. On multivariate analysis, only thrombosis (P = 0.039) and alpha-fetoprotein level (P = 0.006) were shown to be factors affecting survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy with thalidomide seems to be effective in the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Local radiotherapy as a complement to incomplete transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

PURPOSE

In order to determine the effect of additional radiotherapy (RT) after an incomplete transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in an unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the treatment results of patients receiving TACE plus RT were analyzed and compared with those treated with TACE alone.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

One hundred and five patients with an unresectable HCC were treated with TACE from January 1992 to December 2002. In 73 of these patients, the TACE was incomplete. Among them, TACE was repeatedly performed in 35 patients (TACE group), and the remaining 38 patients were also treated with local RT (TACERT group). The patients were either in stage III or IVa, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group 2 or less, and Child-Pugh class A or B. The average frequency of TACE prior to RT was 2 and the RT was started within 7-10 days after the TACE.

RESULTS

The 2-year survival rate was significantly higher in the TACERT than in the TACE group (36.8 % vs. 14.3%, P=0.001). According to the tumor size, the 2-year survival rates in the TACERT and TACE groups were 63% vs. 42% in 5-7 cm (P=0.22), 50% vs. 0% in 8-10 cm (P=0.03), and 17% vs. 0% in larger than 10 cm (P=0.0002) respectively.

CONCLUSION

There was a significantly improved survival rate in the TACERT group of unresectable HCC patients than in the TACE group, particularly in case of tumors > or =8 cm in diameter. Therefore, RT in addition to TACE is strongly recommended for patients with an unresectable HCC.

Study of local three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for patients with stage III hepatocellular carcinoma

The purpose of this study was to evaluate treatment-related toxicity, outcome, patterns of failure, and prognostic factors for patients with stage III unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with a combination of local 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) under the support of G-CSF. From October 1997 to August 2001, 45 patients with stage III unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma underwent transcatheter arterial chemoembolization with local 3D-CRT. Twenty-seven patients were classified as having stage IIIA disease according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system and 18 were classified as stage IIIB. The mean diameter of the treated hepatic tumor was 8.5 cm. Before 3D-CRT, 2 cycles of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization were prescribed. Forty-eight hours later, the G-CSF was prescribed for 5 days after the completion of every TACE. With the interval of 10 to 14 days after the second cycle of TACE, 3D-CRT was prescribed to all patients with a total dose of 50.4 Gy at 1.8 Gy per fraction 5 days per week. After the completion of 3D-CRT, the additional 2 cycles of TACE were given. All patients were monitored for treatment-related toxicity, outcome, patterns of failure, causes of death, and prognostic factors. Forty-two of 45 patients were treated smoothly with the primary schedule. In a median follow-up period of 27 months, 22 patients were alive and 23 were dead. Progressive disease occurred in 28 patients, including local recurrence alone (4 patients), distant metastases with local recurrence (8 patients), and distant metastases alone (16 patients). Nine patients developed radiation-induced liver disease (RILD). Three patients had treatment-related gastrointestinal bleeding. There were 2 treatment-related deaths, including 1 from RILD and 1 from gastrointestinal bleeding. Complete regression (CR) was observed in 6 patients, partial regression (PR) in 35 patients, and stable disease (SD) in 4 patients. The median overall survival duration from treatment was 23.5 months with a 1-year overall survival rate of 68.5%, a 2-year survival rate of 48.3%, and a 3-year survival rate of 22.6%. The median freedom from progressive disease survival duration from treatment was 25 months with 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year progression-free survival rates of 76.2%, 56.8%, and 42.4%, respectively. The stage of HCC, regional lymph node status, portal vein thrombosis, pretreatment alpha-fetoprotein level (AFP), and tumor size affected the treatment outcomes significantly. Therefore, for patients with stage III unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, combined local 3D conformal radiotherapy with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization under the support of G-CSF is an effective treatment protocol. Further research is required to decrease distant metastases and to determine the safe irradiation dose-volume.

Local radiotherapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma patients who failed with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of local radiotherapy (RT) as a salvage treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who failed with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE).

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Patients with unresectable HCC who had been treated with and eventually failed with TACE were eligible. The judgment of TACE failure was based on incomplete tumor filling of lipiodol-adriamycin mixture on either angiography or computed tomography (CT) scan. From January 1993 to December 1997, 27 patients were entered into this study. They had UICC Stage III (17) or IVA (10) disease, with a mean tumor size of 7.2 +/- 2.9 cm. Local RT was done, with a mean tumor dose of 51.8 +/- 7.9 Gy, in daily 1.8-Gy fractions using a 10- or 6-MV linear accelerator. Survival was calculated from both the diagnosis and the start of RT using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

An objective response was observed in 16 of 24 patients (66.7%) including 1 CR. Intrahepatic metastasis was noted outside the RT field in 10 patients (37.0%). Extrahepatic distant metastasis occurred in 4 patients. Survival rates at 1, 2, and 3 years were 85. 2%, 58.1%, and 33.2%, respectively, from the diagnosis and 55.9%, 35. 7%, and 21.4%, respectively, from the start of RT. The median survivals were 26 months from the diagnosis and 14 months from the start of RT. Acute toxicity involved alteration in liver function test (13 patients) and thrombocytopenia (2 patients). Subacute and chronic toxicity involved gastroduodenal ulcer (3 patients) and duodenitis (2 patients). There was no treatment-related death.

CONCLUSION

In unresectable HCC patients who failed with TACE, local RT induced a substantial tumor response of 66.7%, with a 3-year survival rate of 21.4% and a median survival time of 14 months. Toxicity was significant but manageable. Although we do not know if there is survival benefit through this treatment, local RT in these patients seems to be valuable as a salvage for TACE-failed HCC.

A pilot study of three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to determine the potential role of three-dimensional (3-D) conformal radiotherapy (RT) in treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

Thirteen patients were included in this study, which was conducted between 1993 and 1996. Nine patients (group A) were treated with 3-D conformal RT alone because of main portal vein thrombosis, inferior vena cava thrombosis, obstructive jaundice and failure of previous transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) to control the disease. The remaining four patients (group B) were treated with a combination of TACE and 3-D conformal RT.

RESULTS

The greatest dimension of the main tumour in the whole group of patients ranged from 6 to 25 cm (median 15 cm). The radiation dose ranged from 40 to 60 Gy. The tumour response was evaluated by computed tomography scans of the liver 6-8 weeks after completion of radiotherapy. Partial response was observed in 58% of the patients (seven of 12) and minimal response in another 25% of patients (three of 12). One patient could not be evaluated because of the development of hepatic failure 1 month after completion of RT. All patients in group B lived for more than 1 year (range 16-40 months). In group A, one patient who had a large tumour (11 x 10 x 21 cm) with portal vein thrombosis was converted to become resectable after 45 Gy of radiation. The resection specimen revealed no residual cancer cells. This patient is alive longer than 15 months after treatment without the evidence of disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Our experience indicates that HCC is more radiosensitive than it was traditionally expected. Three-dimensional reconstruction of tumour and surrounding organs helps to avoid excessive exposure of the liver and adjacent organs to RT and makes it a safer treatment modality for unresectable HCC. Our preliminary data show promise and are worthy of further study to explore the potential role of radiotherapy in the treatment strategy for HCC at various stages of involvement.

Combined transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and local radiotherapy of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

PURPOSE

The best prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can be achieved with surgical resection; however, the number of resected cases are limited due to advanced lesions or associated liver disease. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy and toxicity of a prospective trial of combined transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and local radiotherapy (RT) in unresectable HCC.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Patients with histologically proven unresectable HCC due to either advanced lesions or associated cirrhosis were eligible. From March 1992 to August 1994, 30 patients were entered into this study. TACE was performed with Lipiodol (5 ml) and doxorubicin (Adriamycin ; 50 mg), followed by gelatin sponge particle (Gelfoam) embolization. Local RT was started within 7-10 days following TACE. Mean tumor dose was 44.0+/-9.3 Gy in daily 1.8 Gy fractions. Response was assessed by computerized tomography (CT) scan 4-6 weeks following completion of the treatment and then at 1-3-month intervals. Survival was calculated from the start of TACE using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

An objective response was observed in 19 patients, giving a response rate of 63.3%. Distant metastasis occurred in 10 patients, with 8 in the lung only and 2 in both lung and bone. Survival rates at 1, 2, and 3 years were 67%, 33.3%, and 22.2%, respectively. Median survival was 17 months. There were 6 patients surviving more than 3 years. Toxicity included transient elevation of liver function tests in all patients, fever in 20, thrombocytopenia in 4, and nausea and vomiting in 1. There was no treatment-related death.

CONCLUSION

Combined TACE and local RT is feasible and tolerable. It gives a 63.3% response rate with median survival of 17 months. We feel that this regimen would be a new promising modality in unresectable HCC. Further study is required to compare the therapeutic efficacy of this regimen to TACE alone.

Prognostic factors in patients affected by hepatocellular carcinoma treated with systemic chemotherapy: the experience of the National Cancer Institute of Milan

BACKGROUND

Survival times and overall response rates are generally poor in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma submitted to systemic chemotherapy. Limited data are reported in the literature concerning the factors influencing survival among this subset of patients but the distribution of these variables may affect the results of clinical trials.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The data on 103 patients undergoing systemic chemotherapy at the Istituto Nazionale Tumori from January 1988 through July 1991 have been analyzed using univariate and Cox multivariate analysis. Forty-eight patients were treated with mitoxantrone alone, 40 with mitoxantrone plus beta-interferon, 11 with fluorouracil plus folinic acid and the remaining four with adriamycin.

RESULTS

Median survival time, and 6-month and 12-month survival rates, were 7.1, 55% and 29%, respectively. Lactate dehydrogenase value (P = 0.0009), TNM stage (P = 0.001), vascular invasion (P = 0.001), bilirubin (P = 0.008), Child status (P = 0.01), aspartate amino-transferase (P = 0.02), extent of liver involvement (P = 0.02) and performance status (P = 0.03) were the most significant factors influencing survival in univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, aspartate amino-transferase (P = 0.02) and, particularly, TNM stage (p = 0.0009) were confirmed as independent variables correlating with survival. A prognostic index was calculated on the basis of these factors and high- and low-risk groups were identified. Median survival time and 12-month survival were 11.1 months and 43% for the low-risk group, and 4.0 months and 9% for the high-risk group (p = 0.0005).

CONCLUSION

The results of this analysis may provide guidance for the design of future therapeutic trials in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. In particular, patient stratification should be considered for further clinical trials.