Intrahepatic fluorodeoxyuridine to treat unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma patients

Of 16 HCC patients who received intrahepatic FdUrd at a dose of 0.3 mg/kg/day for 14 consecutive days by continuous infusion, every 28 days, no one achieved a complete response, while 3 patients achieved partial response (18.75%), lasting 6, 9 and 18 months, respectively. Seven patients (43.75%) exhibited stable disease and their mean time to progression was 4.28 months; in the extant 6 patients (37.5%) the disease progressed. Major biliary toxicity was observed. On the basis of these data, intra-arterial chemotherapy should not yet be considered the standard treatment of unresectable HCCs.