Combination Therapy With Octreotide And Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization(TACE) For Hepatocellular Carcinoma(HCC) In Patients With Cirrhosis

Objective: To evaluate the effect of combination therapy with octreotide and transcatheter arterial chamoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhosis.Methods: Fifty-five consecutive patients in Child-Pugh class A and B were admitted. Twenty-four patients in the octreotide group were treated with TACE and thereafter received octreotide 0.2mg IH two times a day. Thirty-one patients received TACE were enrolled into the control group. Measurable disease was assessed at 3-month intervals.Results: In the octreotide group, partial response was achieved in 16 (66.7%) of the 24 evaluable patients, whereas in the control group, partial response was achieved in 11 (35.5%) of the 31 evaluable patients. There was significant difference in response rate between the groups. The 3-year overall survival rates of the octreotide group and the control group were 45.8% and 19.3%, respectively. The overall survival rate of the octreotide group was significantly higher than that of the control group (p < 0.05). The median survival of the octreotide group and the control group were 31 months and 20 months, respectively. The aliment development in the octreotide group was 9 months vs 6 months in the control group.The major complication of the octreotide treatment was mild diarrhea.Conclusion:It was effective of combination therapy with octreotide and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhosis.