Clinical observation of ~(125)I seeds in combination with transarterial arterial chemoembolization in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

OBJECTIVE:To define the safety and effectiveness of combination of 125 I seeds and transarterial chemoembolization in treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.METHODS:Fifty-three cases of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma were selected and 27 of them treated with 125 I seeds combined with TACE and 26 patients treated with TACE alone.Median time to progression(mTTP),response rate(RR),disease control rate(DCR)and toxicity were assessed.RESULTS:The median time to progression(mTTP)was 8.3months among the 26 patients in the 125 I seeds-TACE group and 5.7months among the 26 patients in the TACE group(P=0.020),this was significant different in two groups.The rate of response among patients in 125 I seeds-TACE group was significantly increased[70.4%(19/27)vs.26.9%(7/26),P=0.002]and the same to the rate of disease control[81.5%(22/27)vs.53.8%(14/26),P=0.042].The median overall survival in the treatment group was 11.2months,as compared with 8.5months for the control group(P=0.010).Adverse events were similar in the two groups and were well tolerated.CONCLUSION:As compared with TACE alone,125 I seeds combined with TACE has an increased time of TTP and a significant treatment advantage without substantial toxicity.