Clinical outcome of esophageal varices after hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with major portal vein tumor thrombus

Aim: To analyze the clinical outcome of esophageal varices (EV) after hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and major portal vein tumor thrombus (Vp3/4). Methods: The study subjects were 45 consecutive patients who received HAIC for HCC with Vp3/4 between January 2005 and December 2009. HAIC comprised the combination therapy of intra-arterial 5-FU with interferon-α (5-FU/IFN) in 23 patients and low-dose cisplatin plus 5-FU (FP) in 22. Radiotherapy (RT) was also provided in 19 patients for portal vein tumor thrombosis. Aggravation rate for EV and overall survival rate were analyzed. Results: The aggravation rates for EV were 47% and 64% at 12 and 24 months, respectively. The survival rates were 47% and 33% at 12 and 24 months, respectively. The response rates to 5-FU/IFN and FP were 35% and 41%, while the disease control rates in these two groups were 57% and 50%, respectively. There were no significant differences in the objective response and disease control between 5-FU/IFN and FP. Multivariate analysis identified size of EV (F2/F3) (HR = 7.554, P = 0.006) and HCC disease control (HR = 5.948, P = 0.015) as significant and independent determinants of aggravation of EV, and HCC disease control (HR = 12.233, P