Antitumor effect of transcatheter oily chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma assessed by computed tomography: role of iodized oil

The efficacy of transcatheter oily chemoembolization (TOCE) was evaluated in 82 patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by computed tomography more than 6 months after TOCE. A doxorubicin in oil emulsion (DOE) was administered to 42 cases and an epirubicin in oil emulsion (EOE) was administered to 40 cases. No significant differences were found in the patient background characteristics between the DOE-treated group and the EOE-treated group. Tumor regression of more than 50% of the product of two dimensions was observed in 26 DOE-treated cases and in 25 EOE-treated cases at 1 year or more after TOCE. No difference in antitumor effect was observed between DOE and EOE, although a sufficient dose per tumor volume would be required to manifest an antitumor effect on hepatocellular carcinoma.