Usefulness and limitations of balloon-occluded transcatheter arterial chemoembolization using miriplatin for patients with four or fewer hepatocellular carcinoma nodules.

AIM

The aim of this study is to clarify the usefulness and limitations of balloon-occluded transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (B-TACE) using miriplatin for patients with four or fewer hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) nodules.

METHODS

We studied 47 nodules in 30 consecutive patients who received miriplatin by B-TACE to treat HCC with four or fewer nodules per patient. The treatment effect was evaluated using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Cancer of the Liver.

RESULTS

Nodules were divided according to the presence or absence of portal vein visualization during B-TACE. In the presence group, dynamic computed tomography at 3 months post-therapy showed Response Evaluation Criteria in Cancer of the Liver treatment effect (TE) 4 in 88% (14/16), TE3 in 0% (0/16), TE2 in 0% (0/16), TE1 in 12% (2/16), and objective response in 88% of nodules. In the absence group, the results were TE4 in 35% (11/31), TE3 in 13% (4/31), TE2 in 26% (8/31), TE1 in 26% (8/31), and objective response decreased to 48% of nodules. In addition to typical hypervascular nodules, we treated three nodules with irregular ring enhancement that predicted poorly differentiated HCC and four nodules that included a hypoenhancement area that predicted well to moderately differentiated HCC. All irregular ring enhancement nodules achieved TE4. Other nodules that were predicted to be well to moderately differentiated HCC did not have portal vein visualization during B-TACE and could not achieve TE4.

CONCLUSION

Balloon-occluded transcatheter arterial chemoembolization is a useful technique for treatment of classical hypervascular HCC, and portal vein visualization during the B-TACE procedure may provide more favorable local control.