Local tumor progression following lipiodol-based targeted chemoembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma: a retrospective comparison of miriplatin and epirubicin

cal tumor progression following lipiodol-based targeted chemoembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma: a retrospective comparison of miriplatin and epirubicin Original Research (2116) Total Article Views Authors: Iwazawa J, Ohue S, Hashimoto N, Mitani T Published Date April 2012 Volume 2012:4 Pages 113 - 119 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/CMAR.S30431 Received: 31 January 2012 Accepted: 12 March 2012 Published: 19 April 2012 Jin Iwazawa1, Shoichi Ohue2, Naoko Hashimoto1, Takashi Mitani1 1Department of Radiology, Nissay Hospital, Nishiku, Osaka, 2Department of Radiology, Komatsu Hospital, Neyagawa, Japan Purpose: We aimed to compare the local control rates between miriplatin and epirubicin in lipiodol-based transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Patients and methods: Patients who underwent targeted TACE using miriplatin (47 patients, 66 lesions) or epirubicin (64 patients, 79 lesions) as the sole therapy were enrolled. The local control rates were compared using the Kaplan–Meier estimator with the log-rank test. The patient and tumor parameters were subjected to univariate and multivariate analyses using the Cox proportional hazards model. Results: The overall local recurrence rates were 39.3% and 31.6% for the miriplatin and epirubicin groups, respectively. The local control rate was significantly higher in the epirubicin group than in the miriplatin group (P < 0.001). The local control rates at 6 months and 1 year were 70.7% and 44.8% for the miriplatin group and 83.4% and 69.2% for the epirubicin group, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that the serum a-fetoprotein level ≥20 ng/mL (hazard ratio 2.96; P < 0.001), miriplatin usage (hazard ratio 2.53; P = 0.002), and Child-Pugh class B (hazard ratio 1.89; P = 0.042) affected local progression. Conclusion: Lipiodol-based targeted TACE using miriplatin had inferior local control rates as compared to epirubicin in patients with HCC.