[Long-term survival of a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus treated with interferon-α and 5-fluorouracil combination therapy].

We report a case of long-term survival of a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma( HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) treated with fluorouracil arterial infusion and interferon therapy (FAIT). A 54-year-old man with severe liver cirrhosis was diagnosed as having HCC in segment 1 and 4 of the liver, with PVTT in the left branch. After 7 courses of FAIT, the main tumor and PVTT were no longer visible on enhanced computed tomography scans. However, recurrent HCC was detected in segment 4. Subsequently, the patient was treated with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) after confirmation of portal blood flow. At 5 years after the initial treatment, the patient is alive without further recurrence of HCC. Therefore, even if patients have HCC with PVTT in the main branch and severe liver cirrhosis, long-term survival is possible by administration of a combination of FAIT and TACE.