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A histopathologic study was done on livers from 14 patients who underwent surgery for hepatocellular carcinoma and who had been pretreated by a combination of intra-arterial embolization of Gelfoam (Upjohn) plus intra-arterial chemotherapy. This technique was effective as the excess vascularity of the tumor and the tumor bulk were reduced and resection was readily facilitated. For solitary tumors of less than 4 cm in diameter, this approach was particularly effective. As this combined treatment almost invariably leads to liquefaction and necrosis of the tumor, the likelihood of metastases is diminished.
Sakurai et al. (Wed,) studied this question.