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1Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital Edouard Herriot, Fédération des Spécialités Digestives, Lyon, France.
Abstract
The prevention of tumor recurrence after curative treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unresolved. Postoperative intraarterial injection of 131I-labeled lipiodol has been proposed as adjuvant treatment. The aim of this prospective randomized trial was to evaluate if a single dose of postoperative adjuvant intraarterial 131I-lipiodol (vs. unlabeled lipiodol) could reduce the rate of intrahepatic recurrence at 2 y.
METHODS:
Patients who underwent curative treatment for HCC and recovered within 6 wk were randomly assigned to receive a single 2,200-MBq 131I-lipiodol dose or a single unlabeled lipiodol dose on a 1:1 basis. Recurrence-free and overall survival rates were analyzed.
RESULTS:
Between June 2005 and February 2009, we included 58 patients (median age of 63 y [range, 23-85 y]): 29 received intraarterial 131I-lipiodol and 29 received lipiodol adjuvant treatment. At 2 y after treatment, the rate of patients with intrahepatic recurrence was 28% in the 131I-lipiodol group and 56% in the lipiodol group (P = 0.0449). The Kaplan-Meier analysis confirmed this result, with a 2-y recurrence-free survival in the 131I-lipiodol and lipiodol groups of 73% and 45%, respectively (P = 0.0259). The 5-y recurrence-free survival rates in the 131I-lipiodol and lipiodol groups were 40% and 0%, respectively (P = 0.0184). The overall and specific survivals were not significantly different between groups (P = 0.9378 and P = 0.1339, respectively). 131I-lipiodol had no severe toxic effects.
CONCLUSION:
After curative treatment of patients with HCC, one 2,200-MBq dose of intraarterial 131I-lipiodol significantly decreased the rate of intrahepatic recurrence but failed to improve overall or specific survival.