ABSTRACT
This is a descriptive study to assess the safety and efficacy of 188 Rhenium-HDD-Lipiodol conjugate in treating patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Eight patients with inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma with liver lesions ranging from 1.8 x 2.0 cm to 12.7 x 70 cm participated in the study. 188 Rhenium-HDD-Lipiodol conjugate was administered to the patients via femoral catheter based on the radioactivity that was eluted from the generator. Corresponding whole body scintigraphic images, which showed significant tracer uptake in the liver lesions, were obtained at 24, 48 and 72 hours after 188 Rhenium-HDD-lipiodol administration. Follow-up CT scans in six patients showed progressive disease in three patients and stable disease in three patients. Two patients had re-treatment due to progression of liver lesions. Follow-up scintigraphy after re-treatment showed decrease in tracer uptake in liver lesions on one patient, while the other showed diffuse tracer uptake. Post-ttherapy symptoms were minimal: mild to moderate epigastric pain in two, nausea and vomiting in one, while the rest are asymptomatic. Karnofsky performance status of patients three months after the therapy ranged from 20-90%. Two of the eight patients are still living at the time this paper was written. Radionuclide therapy aided in the prolongation of life and improvement of its quality for some patients. 188 Rhenium-HDD-Lipiodol radio conjugate provides promising results in treating inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma.