Complete response of hepatocellular carcinoma with systemic combination chemotherapy: not to get out the chemotherapy?

Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2010 Aug;22(8):1015-8. doi: 10.1097/MEG.0b013e328336565a.

Abstract

Since 2007, sorafenib is the new standard for the first-line treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with proved effectiveness on survival, but no complete response. We encountered a case of complete and durable response after gemcitabine plus oxaliplatine (GEMOX) in a patient with metastatic HCC. The use of GEMOX was considered because the patient was young, without other liver disease, with bone and hepatic lesions, a rapidly progressive disease, and a poorly differentiated component on histological aspect. After 12 cycles of GEMOX, complete response occurs with disappearance of metastases and normalization of serum level of alpha-fetoprotein. This is the first case report of complete response of HCC to GEMOX. That is why the association of chemotherapy and molecular targeted therapies is a promising direction of research. Our report shows that another important challenge remains in the identification of predictive factors of response to standard chemotherapy or molecular targeted agents.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Benzenesulfonates / therapeutic use*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / drug therapy*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / pathology
  • Deoxycytidine / analogs & derivatives
  • Deoxycytidine / therapeutic use
  • Gemcitabine
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology
  • Male
  • Niacinamide / analogs & derivatives
  • Organoplatinum Compounds / therapeutic use
  • Oxaliplatin
  • Peritoneal Neoplasms / secondary
  • Peritoneal Neoplasms / surgery
  • Phenylurea Compounds
  • Pyridines / therapeutic use*
  • Remission Induction
  • Sorafenib
  • alpha-Fetoproteins / analysis

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Benzenesulfonates
  • Organoplatinum Compounds
  • Phenylurea Compounds
  • Pyridines
  • alpha-Fetoproteins
  • Oxaliplatin
  • Deoxycytidine
  • Niacinamide
  • Sorafenib
  • Gemcitabine