Two cases of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma achieving a complete response with metronomic chemotherapy via the hepatic artery / 대한내과학회지

ABSTRACT

Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a poor prognosis and few effective therapies. Recently, low-dose antiangiogenic (also called metronomic) chemotherapy has been tested in patients with advanced HCC. Here, we report two patients with advanced HCC who showed a good response after metronomic chemotherapy. The first was a 54-year-old man who was diagnosed with advanced HCC with lung metastasis. After three cycles of metronomic chemotherapy, the size of tumor and pulmonary metastatic lesions had decreased markedly on follow-up computed tomography. The second was a 54-year-old woman who was diagnosed with HCC with portal vein thrombosis. Metronomic therapy was performed. After 9 months, tumor enhancement in the arterial phase had disappeared completely, and the portal vein thrombus was decreased slightly. Metronomic therapy is an interesting treatment option for patients with advanced HCC. More clinical data and studies are needed to confirm this result.