Complete response by a combination of 5-fluorouracil and interferon-α chemotherapy for lung metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatic resection with portal and hepatic vein tumor thrombectomy

A 75-year-old female was admitted to our hospital and diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Computed tomography (CT) revealed a liver tumor with tumor thrombi in the portal trunk and main hepatic vein, as well as small lung metastases. The patient had good liver function with no sign of hepatitis B or C infection. She underwent right trisectionectomy of the liver with tumor thrombectomy. Intrahepatic recurrence and progression of lung metastases were observed 4 months later. Intrahepatic recurrent tumors were treated with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE), and lung metastases were treated with systemic combination chemotherapy of 5-fluorouracil (5FU) and interferon-α (IFN-α). Computed tomography showed no viable lesions in the liver and lung 6 months after these treatments. The patient has been disease free for 18 months. Prognosis is poor for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVVT) or extrahepatic metastasis. This systemic combination chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil and interferon-α might be effective for patients with good liver function when intrahepatic lesions are well controlled by multidisciplinary treatments, including hepatic resection with tumor thrombectomy.