AIM To investigate the local effect of phosphorus-32 glass microspheres (32 P-GMS) on hepatocellularcancer and its relation with chemoembolism.MVIETHODS (① Thirty-two BALB/c nu/nu nude mice were divided randomly into four groups, control groupand 3 treatment groups. Every mouse was implanted with human liver cancer cell line subset (H-CS). 32p-GMS amalgamated in iodine oil was injected directly into the tumor mass. After 2 wk, all animals but thosein the control group, were injected with 32p-GMS in the dosage of 880cGY, 1760cGY and 3520cGY formouce groups Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ respectively. The histological reactions of tumor mass were observed; multidrugresistance (MDR) expressed p-glycoprotein was detected by flow cytometry. ②Forty-three patients withhepatocellular carcinoma based on the evidence from B sonography or CT and serum AFP >400 ng/mL orcytological and histological evidences in some cases with the negative AFP were divided randomly into twogroups, group Ⅰ treated with 32p-GMS (absorbed dose of 50Gy- 100Gy) alone, group Ⅱ treated with 32p-GMS and chemotherapeutics (half-dosage, doxorubicin 20mg/m2, cisplatin 30mg/m2). 32 P-GMS wasinjected through intra hepatic artery in these cases with single massive type and multi-nodular type. Everypatient was repeatedly treated with this method for 2 - 3 times. For evaluating the therapeutic results. Themodified WHO criteria for tumor therapy standard is the.RESULTS (①) Animal bearing tumors showed that the mass decreased markedly and the inhibitive ratesattained 66.53%, 83.06% and 91.53% in the absorbed doses ranged form 880GY, 1760Gy and 3520Gyrespectively (P<0.05, ANOVA). Flow cytometry detected MDR expressed p-glycoprotein decreased from68.2 ± 4.6 in control to 43.6 ± 3.4, 35.3 ± 4.3 and 33.2 ± 3.8 (P<0.05, compared with control, t-test) inthe cells from the tumors. (②) The foci in group Ⅰ revealed decreased in size dramatically with effective rate of71.43%, compared with 86.36% in the group Ⅱ (P<0.05, Chi-squaur test). The median survival period ofthe patients were 532 and 564 d in group Ⅰ and Ⅱ respectivcey (Kaplan-Meire method).CONCLUSION The enhanced effectiveness of the local treatment of 32 P-GMS conjugated withchemotherapeutics may be related to the local action on the MDR expressed p-glycoprotein.