Thirty patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma due to either locally advanced lesion or association with liver cirrhosis, treated with combined hyperthermia and radiotherapy between April 1988 and July 1988, at Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, were prospectively ananlysed.
External radiotherapy of a total dose of 3060 cGy/3.5 wks was given. Hyperthermia was given twice a week with a total of 6 treatment sessions using 8 MHz radiofrequency capacitive type heating device, i.e., Thermotron RF-8 and Cancermia. In all cases hyperthermia was given within 30 minutes after radiotherapy.
Temperature was measured by inserting thermocouple into the tumor mass under the ultrasonographic guidance in all patients except for those who had bleeding tendency.
As a result, PR was achieved in 12 patients (40%) and symptomatic improvement was observed in 22 patients (78. 6%) among 28 patients who had suffered from abdominal pain. The most significant factor affecting tumor response rate was the type of tumor (single massive; 10/14, 71.4%, diffuse infiltrative; 2/10, 20%, multinodular; 0/6, 0%, P< 0.005). There were not any significant side effects relating to combined treatment. Hepatic failure was the leading cause of death (5/11, 45.5%) and distant metastases were observed in 5 patients (one to brain, four to lung).
In conclusion, combined hyperthermia and radiotherapy can be considered as an effective treatment modality in management of primary hepatocellular carcinoma.
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