[Eight cases of non-resectable hepatocellular carcinoma surviving for more than 3 years after Lipiodol administration].

From December 1982 to February 1986, selective regional cancer chemotherapy using Lipiodol plus anticancer drug (Lipiodolization) was prescribed for 87 patients with non-resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Eight out of 87 cases survived for more than 3 years. The mean age of the 8 long survivors was 52.6. In the liver function, 2 cases were in Child A, 5 cases in Child B, and 1 case in Child C. The largest diameter of HCCs was 5.3 cm, and the number of the tumors was one in 6 cases, two in one case, and three in one case. No vascular invasion was detected on hepatic angiography. These findings suggested that long survivors in lipiodolization are not in far advanced HCCs. For these 8 cases, lipiodolization was repeatedly prescribed from two to 6 times. The largest amount of adriamycin was 192 mg/case. The longest survivor has lived for 5 years and 6 months after first lipiodolization. After lipiodolization, one tumor vanished, and three tumors decreased in size. Although seven tumors increased in size after lipiodolization, the tumor doubling time of seven tumors were 64, 265, 313, 317, 350, and 1943 days (average 539 +/- 639 days). It is possible that lipiodolization remarkably inhibited tumor growth. Nevertheless, in 5 out of 7 cases, the daughter lesions increased in size and number, although the main tumors grew slowly. Lipiodolization was less effective for newly arising daughter lesions than main lesions.