Hepatoma/merbarone. A Southwest Oncology Group study.

Sixteen eligible patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, previously untreated, received merbarone 1000 mg/m2/d for five consecutive days every 21 days. No complete or partial response to treatment was obtained. Seven patients had grade 4 granulocytopenia. One patient died with renal failure. Merbarone in this dose and schedule was ineffective in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.