Seocalcitol Versus Placebo in the Adjuvant Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Inclusion Criteria: Hospital in- or out patients Either sex 18 to 75 years of age With hepatocellular carcinoma treated successfully with surgical resection or percutaneous ablative treatment within 4 and 8 weeks, respectively, prior to inclusion. All patients must give their signed informed consent to join the study. Exclusion Criteria: Patients previously treated with any anti-cancer therapy for HCC except for surgical resection and percutaneous ablative therapy Patients treated with chemotherapy or other anti-cancer therapy (except surgical resection or percutaneous ablative treatment) in the previous 4 weeks Patients with another primary tumor except basocellular carcinoma of the skin or in situ carcinoma of the cervix within the last 2 years With a history of renal stone(s) With a life expectancy < 3 months WHO performance status 3 or 4. Patients with hypercalcemia (ionised serum calcium > 1.35 mmol/l or albumin corrected serum calcium > 2.68 mmol/l), previous/current calcium metabolic disease, taking calcium-lowering therapy or medication known to affect systemic calcium metabolism, or with marked laboratory abnormalities. Patients with recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma, with known extrahepatic metastases, Okuda stage III disease and patients with a Child-Pugh score of C are also excluded.