CLINICAL ANALYSIS OF 298 CASES OF PRIMARY LIVER CANCER

From 1960 through 1980, 298 cases of primary liver oancer were treated in our hospital. Of them, 297 cases had moderately advsnced and advanced lesions. These patients were divided into two groups: Group 1, chemotherapy by intravenous, intramuscular or oral routes in 223 cases; Group 2, intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy in 75. Some patients were added with radiotherapy and/or traditional Chinese medicine. The total response rate was 11.1%. In Group 1, partial response rate was 4%while in Group 2, complete plus partial response rates were 32% (P0.001). Patients who survied for less than 3 months after treatment were 64.5% and 38.7% and those who Survived for over 7months were 18.4% and 30.7% in Groups 1 and 2 (P0.01). Twenty six patients survived for more than 1 year. The median survival was 9.25 and 3.33 months in the responders and non-responders (P0.001). The main side effects were nausea, vomitting, bone marrow supression and damage of liver function, etc. No mortality was ascribed to the side effects ot chemotherapy.