Efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization combined thalidomide on hepatocellular carcinoma: a controlled randomized trial

• Published in: Ai zheng = Aizheng = Chinese journal of cancer Vol. 26; no. 8; p. 861
• Main Authors: Hao, Ming-Zhi, Lin, Hai-Lan, Chen, Qiang, Wu, Hui, Yu, Wen-Chang, Chen, Tang-Geng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Chinese
• Published: China 01.08.2007
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Adult; Aged; Angiogenesis Inhibitors - adverse effects; Angiogenesis Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - pathology; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - therapy; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic; Combined Modality Therapy; Deoxycytidine - administration & dosage; Deoxycytidine - analogs & derivatives; Exanthema - chemically induced; Female; Floxuridine - administration & dosage; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Liver Neoplasms - pathology; Liver Neoplasms - therapy; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Staging; Organoplatinum Compounds - administration & dosage; Survival Rate; Thalidomide - adverse effects; Thalidomide - therapeutic use; Young Adult

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is an important therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the recurrence rate is still high and the long-term survival is unsatisfactory. This study was to evaluate the efficacy of TACE combined thalidomide on HCC. From Aug. 2004 to Aug. 2006, 108 patients with unresectable primary HCC were randomized into combination (TACE plus thalidomide) group and TACE group. Combination group received oral administration of thalidomide (200 mg/d) for 1-6 months. Both groups were treated with 0.4-1.6 g gemcitabine, 100-200 mg oxaliplatin, and 0.5-1.0 g floxuridine as chemotherapeutic drugs, ethanol, glutin, and iodolipol as ambolic agent in TACE. The side effects of thalidomide and survival of the patients were observed. The median survival period was 18 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 12-24 months] in combination group and 13 months (95% CI, 10-16 months) in TACE group. The 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year survival rates were 92.9%, 82.7%, and 58.4% respectively in c