A novel liver-directed chemotherapy approach has transformed an inoperable rare liver cancer into a surgically treatable condition, offering hope for patients facing one of oncology's most challenging diagnoses. The treatment achieved 90% tumor destruction in a case where conventional surgery was initially impossible. A 20-year-old woman diagnosed with hepatocellular neoplasm not otherwise specified—a rare liver malignancy combining features of childhood and adult liver cancers—received eight cycles of hepatic arterial infusion using fine-powder cisplatin suspended in Lipiodol oil plus continuous 5-fluorouracil. This "New FP" protocol delivered chemotherapy directly to liver arteries feeding the tumor, concentrating therapeutic agents while minimizing systemic exposure. The targeted approach produced dramatic tumor shrinkage and normalized cancer markers, enabling subsequent conversion hepatectomy where pathology revealed extensive necrosis. This case represents significant progress for hepatocellular neoplasm not otherwise specified, a malignancy so uncommon that treatment protocols remain largely undefined. The arterial infusion strategy addresses a critical gap in managing liver cancers that resist standard chemotherapy or present as unresectable masses. While promising, this single-case report requires validation through larger studies before establishing New FP as standard care. The technique's success may extend to other rare liver malignancies, though patient selection criteria and optimal timing for surgical conversion need refinement. For young adults facing aggressive liver cancers previously considered untreatable, this liver-directed approach could represent a paradigm shift from palliative to curative intent treatment.
Arterial Cisplatin Infusion Enables Surgery for Rare Liver Cancer
📄 Based on research published in Hepatology research : the official journal of the Japan Society of Hepatology
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