Carboplatin

TACE was meticulously conducted by seasoned interventional radiologists. Under a comprehensive assessment of the hepatic arterial blood supply, a selective catheter was introduced into the segmental or subsegmental arteries that supplied the tumor. The regimen of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy included an infusion of carboplatin 300 mg (Bristol-Myers Squibb), a mixture of 50 mg of epirubicin (Pharmourubicin, Pfizer) and 8 mg of mitomycin C (Zhejiang HI sun Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.), intimately blended with 5 ml of lipiodol (Lipiodol Ultra-Fluid; Andre’ Guerbet Laboratories). Embolization was finally performed with either absorbable gelatin sponge particles (Geofoam; Hanzhou Alc Ltd, 1–2 mm in diameter) or polyvinyl alcohol particles (Alicen Pharm SCT&TEC CO., LTD., 350–560 μm in diameter). Following embolization, an angiographic assessment was performed to evaluate of the extent of vascular occlusion and the status of blood flow within other arterial vessels.

The present study was a retrospective analysis of 30 ovarian cancer patients with recurrence that had been treated in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Okayama University Hospital (Okayama, Okayama, Japan) between April 2005 and April 2013. The primary treatment received by these patients was complete cytoreductive surgery and adjuvant and/or neo-adjuvant chemotherapy with conventional taxotere and cyclophosphamide (TC) [180 mg/m² paclitaxel infused over 3 h; carboplatin, dosage calculated for an area under the curve (AUC) of 5 infused over 1 h; Bristol-Myers Squibb, New York, NY, USA]. Following primary treatment, the patients underwent follow-up examinations every 1–2 months for the first 6 months, every 3 months for the next 2 years, and every 6 months thereafter. The present protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Okayama University Hospital. Informed consent was obtained from all patients.

TACE treatment was performed following the techniques and process (13 (link)). Visceral angiography was performed to assess the arterial blood supply of the liver tumor after a selective catheter was introduced. The regimen with same chemotherapeutic agents and same dosage were used consistently in this study, regardless of tumor number and size. Hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy was performed by using carboplatin 300 mg (Bristol-Myers Squibb, New York, NY, USA), followed by epirubicin 50 mg (Pharmorubicin, Pfizer, New York, NY, USA) and mitomycin C 8 mg (Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Taizhou, Zhejiang, China) mixed with 5 mL of lipiodol (Lipiodol Ultra-Fluide; Andre’ Guerbet Laboratories, Aulnay-Sous-Bois, France) for chemolipiodolization. Pure lipiodol was injected if the chemolipiodolized artery territory did not show stagnant flow. In some cases in which we could not achieve stasis in a tumor-feeding artery with the maximum amount of iodized oil (30 mL) because of large tumor, embolization was performed with absorbable gelatin sponge particles (Gelfoam; Hanzhou alc Ltd., Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China) 1–2 mm in diameter. The injection could be slowed or discontinued if retrograde flow occurred. Patients were observed carefully after treatment, and analgesia was given if necessary.

Patient specimens were obtained from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong University (Jinan, China) between June 2006 and June 2010. Patients were treated consecutively with conventional radiotherapy and chemotherapy, as follows: Paclitaxel (Bristol-Myers Squibb, New York, NY, USA) administered intravenously at a dose of 175 mg/m² over a period of 3 h on day 1 of a 21-day cycle, plus a carboplatin (Bristol-Myers Squibb) dose of 360 mg/m², also administered intravenously on day 1 of the 21-day cycle, for 6 cycles. All patients received regular follow-up. During the study period, there were 9 patients who lost contact and 25 mortalities. The duration of follow-up was 2–7 years by the end of 2012. The study was approved by the Institutional Medical Ethics Committee of Shandong University.