Hepatic artery-infusion chemotherapy improved survival of hepatocellular carcinoma after radical hepatectomy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of postoperative hepatic artery-infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) on survival probability in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after radical hepatectomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 85 patients with HCC who received radical hepatectomy from May 2005 to May 2010. Among these patients, 42 underwent two sessions of HAIC (5-fluoruracil [1,000 mg/m(2)], oxaliplatin [85 mg/m(2)], and mitomycin-C [6 mg/m(2)]) after radical hepatectomy (HAIC group), and 43 underwent radical hepatectomy only (the control group). HAIC-related side effects and long-term survival were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The HAIC group showed a significantly higher 5-year intrahepatic recurrence-free survival probability and lower risk of intrahepatic recurrence (HR 0.5615, 95% CI 0.3234–0.9749 [log-rank test]; P=0.0332). The HAIC group also had significantly higher 5-year disease-free survival probability (HR 0.591, 95% CI 0.3613–0.9666 [log-rank test]; P=0.0298) and overall survival probability than the control group (HR 0.5768, 95% CI 0.3469–0.9589 [log-rank test]; P=0.0278). No HAIC-related deaths in the HAIC group were reported. All toxicities and complications were controlled, and no patients quit the treatment. CONCLUSION: HAIC can effectively and safely reduce intrahepatic recurrence and improve the long-term survival of patients with HCC after radical hepatectomy.