Clinical evaluation of octreotide in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma / 中华普通外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate a somatostaitn analogue (Octreotide) in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods In this study 62 HCC patients were divided into therapy group (30 cases) and control group (32 cases) based on patients' own will. Patients in treatment group were assigned to receive an average dosage of 339.43±165.53 mg of octreotide. Treatment results and patients' life quality were evaluated on 3rd and 6th month. Result (1) The average live time of the treatment group was (12.89±6.21) months much longer than that of the control group (5.36±6.36) months (P < 0.05). The 6 month, 12 month survival rate of treatment group (73.3% ,50.0% ) was better than that of the control group(40.6% ,9.37% ) (χ2 =4.02 ,χ2 =9.67,all P <0.05). (2) Appetite was improved in 21 patients, body weight increased in 12 patients. Debility ameliorated in 17 patients in therapy group. (3) Tumor grew larger in 8 cases in control group on the sixth month based on liver CT and 6 of them had extrahepatic metastasis. While in therapy group tumor size decreased in 6 cases; did not change in 9 cases; 3 grew larger, and 1 had extrahepatic metastasis. (4) As for side-effects of octreotide therapy, 6 patients had diarrhea at the beginning, as the treatments continued, the symptoms disappeared within one month. Conclusion Octreotide prolongs the surviving time of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, increases the 6 and 12 months survival rate, causing mild side-effects, and improves the life quality of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.