Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide, with increasing incidence in Western countries. Many pharmacologic treatments have been tested against HCC; most of them belong to three categories: chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and immunotherapy. Neither single agent nor combination chemotherapy have demonstrated a clear reproducible advantage in terms of overall survival; therefore, systemic or intraarterial chemotherapy, should not be considered as standard strategies for patients with HCC. Tamoxifen and antiandrogen therapy were not effective in prolonging survival when tested in randomized, controlled trials. Promising results have been obtained with octreotide in a small randomized trial, but confirmation studies are needed. Although adoptive immunotherapy was effective in the adjuvant setting, interferon should be further investigated in this setting or investigated as a preventive strategy in cirrhotic patients. On the contrary, interferon does not seem to have a role in advanced disease, where it is tolerated poorly. In the future, innovative and promising therapeutic strategies will be tested in HCC, including new biologic target-based drugs, cyclooxygenase inhibitors, and gene therapy.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology |
| Volume | 35 |
| Issue number | 5 SUPPL. |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Nov 2002 |
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Keywords
- Chemotherapy
- Hepatocellular carcinoma
- Hormonal therapy
- Interferon
- Pharmacologic treatment
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Gastroenterology
Cite this
Hepatocellular carcinoma : Systemic treatments. / Di Maio, Massimo; De Maio, Ermelinda; Perrone, Francesco; Pignata, Sandro; Daniele, Bruno.
In: Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, Vol. 35, No. 5 SUPPL., 11.2002.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Hepatocellular carcinoma
T2 - Systemic treatments
AU - Di Maio, Massimo
AU - De Maio, Ermelinda
AU - Perrone, Francesco
AU - Pignata, Sandro
AU - Daniele, Bruno
PY - 2002/11
Y1 - 2002/11
N2 - Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide, with increasing incidence in Western countries. Many pharmacologic treatments have been tested against HCC; most of them belong to three categories: chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and immunotherapy. Neither single agent nor combination chemotherapy have demonstrated a clear reproducible advantage in terms of overall survival; therefore, systemic or intraarterial chemotherapy, should not be considered as standard strategies for patients with HCC. Tamoxifen and antiandrogen therapy were not effective in prolonging survival when tested in randomized, controlled trials. Promising results have been obtained with octreotide in a small randomized trial, but confirmation studies are needed. Although adoptive immunotherapy was effective in the adjuvant setting, interferon should be further investigated in this setting or investigated as a preventive strategy in cirrhotic patients. On the contrary, interferon does not seem to have a role in advanced disease, where it is tolerated poorly. In the future, innovative and promising therapeutic strategies will be tested in HCC, including new biologic target-based drugs, cyclooxygenase inhibitors, and gene therapy.
AB - Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide, with increasing incidence in Western countries. Many pharmacologic treatments have been tested against HCC; most of them belong to three categories: chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and immunotherapy. Neither single agent nor combination chemotherapy have demonstrated a clear reproducible advantage in terms of overall survival; therefore, systemic or intraarterial chemotherapy, should not be considered as standard strategies for patients with HCC. Tamoxifen and antiandrogen therapy were not effective in prolonging survival when tested in randomized, controlled trials. Promising results have been obtained with octreotide in a small randomized trial, but confirmation studies are needed. Although adoptive immunotherapy was effective in the adjuvant setting, interferon should be further investigated in this setting or investigated as a preventive strategy in cirrhotic patients. On the contrary, interferon does not seem to have a role in advanced disease, where it is tolerated poorly. In the future, innovative and promising therapeutic strategies will be tested in HCC, including new biologic target-based drugs, cyclooxygenase inhibitors, and gene therapy.
KW - Chemotherapy
KW - Hepatocellular carcinoma
KW - Hormonal therapy
KW - Interferon
KW - Pharmacologic treatment
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0036841150&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0036841150&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/00004836-200211002-00007
DO - 10.1097/00004836-200211002-00007
M3 - Article
VL - 35
JO - Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology
JF - Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology
SN - 0192-0790
IS - 5 SUPPL.
ER -