[Hepatic artery ligation and intrahepatic arterial chemotherapy for nonresectable primary liver cancer].

We reported the results of hepatic artery ligation (HAL) and infusion (HAI) with chemotherapy in the treatment of 356 patients with nonresectable primary liver cancer (PLC). A comparison of data between the periods 1958-1977 (81 cases) and 1978-1989 (275 cases) revealed that remarkable improvement in survival in the latter period might be attributed to the accurate site of hepatic artery cannulation, long-term infusion with chemotherapy, and combined treatment with subsequent tumor resection. During 1978-1989, the 5-year survival rates of different treatment modalities were 0% in HAL (n = 36) alone, 7.9% in HAI (n = 67) alone, 24.4% in HAL + HAI (n = 112, with subsequent resection in 10 cases), 36.5% in HAL + HAI + radiation (internal and/or external) (n = 60, with subsequent resection in 19 cases). The results indicate that HAL + HAI + combined treatment might provide a hope for the prolongation of survival or even resection in some patients with nonresectable PLC.