日本山口大学科学家尝试用去除体内铁离子的方法，治疗肝癌，取得一定成效。
据日本《读卖新闻》日前报道，山口大学教授坂井田功等科学家尝试向肝癌晚期患者的肝脏中直接注射铁螯合剂。结果发现，在接受2个月左右的注射后，参加试验的10名肝癌晚期患者中有2人的肿瘤组织有所缩小，另有3人的病情停止恶化。
铁螯合剂能够与人体内的铁离子结合，随着尿液一同排出，注射铁螯合剂能够有效降低体内的铁离子浓度。因为铁离子是肝癌等肿瘤组织发育过程中的一种重要原料，因此体内铁离子浓度下降，对于肝癌有一定的治疗作用。
科学家说，目前的临床试验显示，去铁有可能成为一种治疗肝癌的新疗法。不过，由于身体失去铁离子有很大的风险性，日本科学家认为准确使用这一方法仍需更多的试验数据。
日本科学家的上述成果已发表在美国《新英格兰医学杂志》上。(生物谷 Bioon.com）
doi:N Engl J Med 2011; 365:576-578
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Deferoxamine for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Takahiro Yamasaki,Shuji Terai，Isao Sakaida,
Deferoxamine was administered an average of 27 times (range, 9 to 78). Two, three, and five patients had a partial response, stable disease, and progressive disease, respectively (according to the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group criteria). The overall response rate was 20%.
Tumor-marker levels (alpha-fetoprotein, des-γ-carboxyprothrombin, alpha-fetoprotein L3, or all of these levels) decreased in patients with a partial response. In one patient, a massive hepatocellular tumor with lung metastases disappeared with deferoxamine treatment (Figure 1Figure 1
Deferoxamine Treatment in One Patient.). The 1-year cumulative survival rate was 20%. Four patients had grade 2 or 3 interstitial pneumonia (according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4.0), and one patient had grade 2 renal dysfunction. However, no grade 4 adverse events were observed.
Sorafenib, a multikinase inhibitor, has recently been established as the standard of care for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma and preserved liver function (Child–Pugh class A) because it increases survival.5 However, its safety and efficacy for patients with Child–Pugh class B or C disease is still unknown. Deferoxamine may warrant testing in patients with Child–Pugh class B or C hepatocellular carcinoma.
