α-Fetoprotein (AFP) was measured in the sera of 183 patients with malignancies, including 37 patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma, and of 368 patients with nonneoplastic liver diseases. AFP was detected in 33 of the patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma, in 4 of the 74 patients with carcinoma of the liver metastasized from the stomach, in 1 of 22 patients with gastric carcinoma and in 1 of patients with ovarian carcinoma. AFP was also detected transiently in 1 of 55 patients with infectious hepatitis and in of 195 patients with liver cirrhosis. The frequency of AFP-positive patients increased when more sensitive techniques were used such as immunoelectrosyneresis and fluoroelectroimmunodiffusion, but it is important to use the monospecific antiserum prepared with immunization against the purified AFP. The maximal concentration of AFP in sera from patients with primary liver carcinoma was 5,900 μg/ml serum and the AFP levels in the majority of these patients were in the range of 10-500 μg/ml. The serum AFP levels tended to increase with time, but they appeared to be unrelated to clinical signs or survival time. In patients with carcinoma of the liver metastasized from the stomach, gastric carcinoma, and nonneoplastic liver diseases, the serum AFP levels were markedly lower than those in primary hepatocellular carcinoma.

Our experience in the treatment of inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma by the intra-arterial infusion with Mitomysin C (MMC) was reported. Of 26 patients given oral administration of 5Fu or FT-207, 5-10mg/kg of body weight/day, and intermittent intra-arterial infusion with 10-20mg of levels, decrease in distance of the liver edges from the costal margin and increased survival time. In the 27% of the patients, subjective responses were obtained. Of 13 control patients with hepatocellular carcinoma with oral adoministration of 5Fu or FT-207 alone, or intravenous injection of 4mg of MMC/twice a week, objective responses were observed in 7%. It indicates significant therapeutic effect of intra-arterial infusion of MMC on patients with Hepatocellular carcinoma. The best results were obtained for stage I of Vogel's functional classification of primary liver carcinoma. Patients with severe liver dysfunctions, decrease levels of peripheral lymphocytes, and high levels of serum alkaline phosphatase were unsuitable for such treatment. Siginficant decrease of serum hemoglobin levels were observed as a side effect of intra-arteral infusion of MMC.

No abstract