ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Treatment and management of patients with end‑stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a formidable challenge to contemporary branches of medical sciences. The study presented here was conducted to assess the utility of nutrient supplement, if any, for management of patients with end‑stage HCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 19 patients with end‑stage HCC (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer [BCLC] staging D) were provided with ONCOXIN® for 3 months. Another 10 patients with end‑stage HCC (BCLC stage D) with similar clinical conditions received conservative management, but they did not give consent for taking ONCOXIN® (non‑ONCOXIN® group). All patients of both groups were followed on regular basis until their death. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The results were expressed as mean and standard deviation. Comparison between groups was performed using Student’s t‑test or the Mann‑Whitney U test. For categorical data, Chi‑square or Fisher exact test was applied. RESULTS: All patients of the control group (non‑ONCOXIN® group) (10 of 10 patients) died within 2 months after study commencement. On the other hand, 10 of 19 patients receiving ONCOXIN® died within 2 months (less than 53% patients) after the start of taking ONCOXIN® (P < 0.05, compared with patients of non‑ONCOXIN® group). Five more patients died within 5 months after the start of intake of ONCOXIN®. Four patients receiving ONCOXIN® survived for more than 6 months after study commencement. CONCLUSIONS: Although this is a preliminary report, it inspires considerable optimism about safety and efficacy of a food supplement for management of patients with end‑stage HCC.