[The results of the chemoembolization of advanced hepatocellular carcinomas. The effect on the survival times, morphological findings and tumor markers].

Chemoembolization is a well-recognized therapeutic procedure in the treatment of stage I and stage II hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Until now it is rarely used in the treatment of stage III HCC. In a prospective study we analysed the efficacy and the side effects of chemoembolization in 16 patients with stage III HCC. Chemoembolization was performed with an emulsion of lipiodol, 4-epirubicin and cisplatinum. All patients tolerated the treatment without remarkable complications. With 9 months the median survival rate was considerable higher than the survival rate of untreated patients and of patients treated with systemic chemotherapy or with local perfusion.