Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital treats terminal liver cancer patient without surgery

A 77-year-old patient diagnosed with terminal liver cancer has shown significant recovery through Hepatic Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy (HAIC) at Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital. The patient, who presented with severe abdominal pain, bloating, and ascites, was initially ineligible for standard immune or targeted therapies due to the extensive range of the tumor and severe liver dysfunction.

Following a multidisciplinary medical decision, doctors implemented HAIC, a method that uses a catheter connected to the hepatic artery to deliver chemotherapy directly to the liver. This approach aims to maximize tumor treatment while minimizing systemic side effects. After five sessions, the patient’s Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) levels dropped from 56,000 to a normal level of 3.1.

Clinical improvements also included the disappearance of jaundice, edema, and ascites, alongside an increase in albumin levels from 2.7 to 3.5. While HAIC requires significant hospital resources and specialized equipment, research from the hospital suggests it can offer higher tumor response rates compared to oral targeted therapies for certain advanced liver cancer cases.