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Malignant hepatoma in the Bantu
Author(s) -
Geddes E. W.,
Falkson Geoffrey
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(197006)25:6<1271::aid-cncr2820250604>3.0.co;2-f
Subject(s) - medicine , autopsy , gastroenterology , radiation therapy , methotrexate , transaminase , cirrhosis , surgery , gamma globulin , biochemistry , chemistry , antibody , immunology , enzyme
One hundred and eighty‐nine histologically proved cases of primary carcinoma of the liver were studied. Patients were randomly allotted to various treatment regimes. One hundred and twenty‐seven patients were treated with various cytostatic agents and/or radiotherapy, while 56 patients acted as controls. In 78% of the patients, the test for serum alpha‐feto‐protein was positive. High gamma globulin and elevated transaminase values were associated with a short survival time. The mean survival time for the control patients was 4.3 months from development of the first symptoms and 2 months from the time the diagnosis was confirmed. Autopsy was performed on 167 patients. Forty percent of the patients showed no evidence of cirrhosis. Various cytostatics and radiotherapy increased the mean survival time. The best results were obtained by long‐term intra‐arterial infusion of methotrexate.