[Preoperative chemoembolization of iopamiron-solved adriamycin and lipiodol on hepatocellular carcinoma--clinicopathological study of ten surgical cases].
Preoperative chemoembolization was performed in 10 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. The therapeutic regimen included Adriamycin (ADM) solved in nonionic contrast media, Iopamiron and Lipiodol (LP). Two to four ml of the solution, containing 20-40 mg of ADM, was mixed with 5-10 ml of LP by "pumping" method. This emulsion was infused superselectively into the hepatic artery by the balloon-occluded method. The regimen contained no permanent embolic material (e.g., Gelfoam or Ivaron). Dense deposition of LP in the tumor was seen on the CT scan 3-4 weeks after TAI. Surgical specimens, resected 3-12 weeks after TAI, revealed total necrosis of the tumor in 4 cases, subtotal necrosis (more than 80% on the cut surface) in 3 cases, and partial necrosis (less than 80%) in 3 cases. Tumor invasion in the fibrous capsules was necrosed in 4/7 of the cases. Tumor thrombi in the portal vein were also necrosed in 2/4. Our new method is more effective than the previous ones of LP and ADM without Iopamiron, and is equally effective as the regimen using LP, anticancer drugs, and permanent embolic materials.