[Effectiveness of preoperative transcatheter arterial embolization for improved survival rates in patients with hepatocellular carcinomas (sandwich therapy using ethiodized oil, cisplatin and gelatin sponge].

The effect of hepatic transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) therapy was evaluated in 153 patients with hepatocellular carcinomas who underwent radical hepatectomy. They were divided into 3 groups. Group A (n = 56) received preoperative TAE using ethiodized oil, cisplatin and gelatin sponge (sandwich therapy). Group B (n = 29) received preoperative TAE using adriamycin + gelatin sponge, ethiodized oil + adriamycin + gelatin sponge or adriamycin + degradable starch microsphere. Group C (n = 68) did not receive TAE preoperatively. The 3-year disease-free survival rates in Group A, B, and C were 56%, 34% and 32%, respectively. The rate was significantly higher in Group A than Group C (p less than 0.05). The 1-year disease-free survival rates after partial hepatectomy were 89% in Group A (n = 22), 53% in Group B (n = 15) and 67% in Group C (n = 22). The 3-year survival rate of these patients in Group A was significantly higher (95%), compared to Group C (70%) (p less than 0.05). Preoperative TAE using ethiodized oil, cisplatin and gelatin sponge (sandwich therapy) was considered a useful therapy for improvement of disease-free survival rates or survival rates after hepatectomy in patients with hepatocellular carcinomas.