FAIT (FU arterial infusion and interferon therapy) for hepatocellular carcinoma

: We summarised the beneficial effects of FAIT (FU Arterial Infusion and Interferon Therapy) for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the 55 patients of HCC with portal venous tumour thrombi (PVTT) treated with FAIT alone, 24 (43.6%) showed objective response, 4 (7.3%) showed no response, and 27 (49.1%) showed progressive disease. In the 15 patients of HCC with PVTT treated with FAIT and surgery, all of the cases (100%) survived over 1 year; without FAIT and surgery, 10 patients (67%) were died within 1 year. Concerning the mechanism of FAIT, we reported the synergistic effects of IFNalpha and 5-FU, in terms of the influence to cell cycle progression leading into the S phase via p27Kip1, an apoptosis-inducing effect through a reduction of Bcl-xl, and an immuno-modulatory effect via the TRAIL/TRAIL-receptor pathway. FAIT is a promising modality for advanced HCC with tumour thrombi in the major portal branches.