Randomized, phase II study comparing interferon combined with hepatic arterial infusion of fluorouracil plus cisplatin and fluorouracil alone in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Objective: This randomized phase II trial compared the response rates to treatment with interferon (IFN) combined with hepatic arterial infusion of fluorouracil (FU) plus cisplatin (CDDP) or FU alone in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: A total of 114 patients with measurable advanced HCC were enrolled and randomized into 2 groups. FU (300 mg/m(2), days 1-5, days 8-12) with or without CDDP (20 mg/m(2), days 1 and 8) was administered via the hepatic artery. IFNα-2b was administered 3 times per week for 4 weeks.

Results: The response rates were 45.6% for the IFN/FU + CDDP group and 24.6% for the IFN/FU group. The response rate was significantly higher in the IFN/FU + CDDP group (p = 0.030). The median overall survival period was 17.6 months in the IFN/FU + CDDP group versus 10.5 months in the IFN/FU group (p = 0.522). The median progression-free survival period was 6.5 months in the IFN/FU + CDDP group versus 3.3 months in the IFN/FU group (p = 0.0048). Hematological toxicity was common, but no toxicity-related deaths were observed.

Conclusion: These results show the clinical efficacy of adding CDDP to the hepatic arterial infusion of FU in combined chemotherapy regimens with IFN.