epirubicin + lipiodol

Epirubicin + lipiodol is a combination used in conventional transarterial chemoembolization (cTACE) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Epirubicin is an anthracycline chemotherapeutic agent that intercalates DNA and inhibits topoisomerase II, leading to cytotoxicity in rapidly dividing tumor cells. Lipiodol is an iodized poppy seed oil used as a carrier and embolic agent; it selectively accumulates in liver tumors when injected intra-arterially, allowing for targeted delivery and prolonged retention of the chemotherapeutic agent within the tumor. This combination exploits both direct cytotoxic effects from epirubicin and ischemic effects from arterial embolization by lipiodol. The mixture can be administered alone or followed by additional embolization procedures. It is widely used as a standard therapy for intermediate-stage HCC, especially where surgical resection or ablation are not feasible[1][4][5].

Other names

epirubicin-lipiodolcTACE with epirubicin-lipiodol