Local tumor progression following lipiodol-based targeted chemoembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma: a retrospective comparison of miriplatin and epirubicin

PURPOSE We aimed to compare the local control rates between miriplatin and epirubicin in lipiodol-based transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients who underwent targeted TACE using miriplatin (47 patients, 66 lesions) or epirubicin (64 patients, 79 lesions) as the sole therapy were enrolled. The local control rates were compared using the Kaplan-Meier estimator with the log-rank test. The patient and tumor parameters were subjected to univariate and multivariate analyses using the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS The overall local recurrence rates were 39.3% and 31.6% for the miriplatin and epirubicin groups, respectively. The local control rate was significantly higher in the epirubicin group than in the miriplatin group (P < 0.001). The local control rates at 6 months and 1 year were 70.7% and 44.8% for the miriplatin group and 83.4% and 69.2% for the epirubicin group, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that the serum α-fetoprotein level ≥ 20 ng/mL (hazard ratio 2.96; P < 0.001), miriplatin usage (hazard ratio 2.53; P = 0.002), and Child-Pugh class B (hazard ratio 1.89; P = 0.042) affected local progression. CONCLUSION Lipiodol-based targeted TACE using miriplatin had inferior local control rates as compared to epirubicin in patients with HCC.