Therapeutic equivalence in survival for hepatic arterial chemoembolization and yttrium 90 microsphere treatments in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND:

Intrahepatic arterial yttrium 90 (⁹⁰Y) microspheres have been proposed as a less toxic, less invasive therapeutic option to transhepatic arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for patients with surgically unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). TACE has demonstrated the ability to prolong survival. However, long‐term survival remains uncertain.

METHODS:

In a 2‐cohort experience in the treatment of North American patients who had advanced, unresectable, biopsy‐proven HCC, 691 patients received repetitive, cisplatin‐based chemoembolization; and a separate cohort of 99 patients who had similar treatment criteria received a planned, single dose of ⁹⁰Y. Over the study period, an additional 142 patients were followed without treatment (total, 932 patients).

RESULTS:

Overall survival was slightly better in the ⁹⁰Y group compared with the TACE group (median survival, 11.5 months vs 8.5 months). However, the selection criteria indicated a small but significant bias toward milder disease in the ⁹⁰Y group. By using stratification into a 3‐tier model with patients dichotomized according to bilirubin levels <1.5 mg/dL, the absence of portal vein thrombosis (PVT), and low α‐fetoprotein plasma levels (<25 U/dL), an analysis of survival in clinical subgroups indicated that the 2 treatments resulted in similar survival. In addition, patients who had PVT or high α‐fetoprotein levels also had similar survival in both treatment groups.

CONCLUSIONS:

Given the current evidence of therapeutic equivalence in survival, ⁹⁰Y and TACE appeared to be equivalent regional therapies for patients with unresectable, nonmetastatic HCC. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.     

Combination treatment of localized concurrent chemoradiation therapy and transarterial chemoembolization in locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with intrahepatic metastasis

Purpose

Although sorafenib has been approved for treating advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), its high cost, frequent adverse events, and unsatisfactory efficacy remain unresolved. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of the combination treatment of localized concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) for locally advanced HCC with portal vein thrombosis (PVT) and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for intrahepatic metastasis.

Methods

Between January 2006 and June 2011, 30 patients with HCC with portal vein invasion and intrahepatic metastasis were enrolled. After TACE for intrahepatic metastasis, localized CCRT (45 Gy over 5 weeks with conventional fractionation and hepatic artery infusional chemotherapy using 5-fluorouracil as a radiosensitizer, administered during the first and fifth weeks of radiotherapy) was used to treat main HCC with PVT. The modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (mRECIST) were used to evaluate tumor response.

Results

The median age of the patients (26 men, 4 women) was 51 years. Objective response rates were 30.0 % (9/30) and 32.1 % (9/28) in the intention-to-treat and per protocol analyses, respectively. The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 4.5 and 9.8 months, respectively. Baseline α-fetoprotein (AFP) correlated significantly with PFS (P = 0.008), whereas baseline AFP, completion of the protocol, and overall radiological response influenced OS significantly (all P < 0.05). All adverse events were predictable and manageable with conservative care.

Conclusions

Combination treatment of localized CCRT and TACE was effective and tolerable in patients with locally advanced HCC with PVT and intrahepatic metastasis. This protocol may be an alternative option when sorafenib cannot be prescribed.     

Association Between Insulin-like Growth Factor-2 Expressionand Prognosis after Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization and Octreotide in Patients with Hepatocellar Carcinoma

Objective: To investigate the association between the change of IGF-2 level in serum after transcatheterarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression, especially in relation tometastasis. Methods: IGF-2 in serum was measured by quantitative sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbentassaybefore, 3 days and 4 weeks after TACE in 60 patients with HCC. The occurrence of HCC metastasis wasalso evaluated, 3 months after TACE. Results: (1) The average serum level of IGF-2 in the 60 patients withHCC was 136.5 ± 87.3 pg/ml; (2) A tendency for increase was observed with heterogenous uptake of octreotideand portal vein thrombosis. Metastatic foci were found in 37/38 patients in the group with IGF-2 increasing(97.0%), in contrast to 3/22 (13.6%) patients with IGF-2 decrease. Conclusion: The increase of IGF-2 level inserum appears to be associated with the occurrence of metastatic HCC after TACE and chemotherapy.     

A prognostic index of the survival of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) has been used as a palliative treatment for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but its prognostic usefulness has not previously been clarified. METHODS: The authors reviewed all patients treated at their institution with TACE for unresectable HCC in order to analyze prognostic factors and to determine which patients might benefit from this treatment. One hundred forty-three patients were retrospectively studied. Pretreatment, treatment, and follow-up variables with possible prognostic significance were analyzed. A stepwise multivariate analysis was performed using the Cox regression model, and a prognostic index was obtained. RESULTS: According to univariate analysis, variables significantly associated with survival were alpha-fetoprotein (>400 U/L), tumor size (>50%), ascites, albumin (<30 g/L), Child-Pugh grade (Child C), Okuda stage (Okuda III), portal vein thrombosis, tumor greatest dimension larger than 5 cm, more than 3 nodules, bilobular involvement, and pattern of iodized oil uptake, tumor size reduction, and radiologic T classification on computed tomography scan performed 7 and 30 days after TACE. However, only ascites, alpha-fetoprotein (>400 U/L), tumor size (>50%), Child-Pugh grade (Child C), pattern of iodized oil uptake, and portal vein thrombosis were independent factors in multivariate analysis. Using the beta-coefficients of alpha-fetoprotein (>400 U/L), tumor size (>50%) and Child-Pugh score, a prognostic index was calculated, and according to this index patients were classified into 3 categories with different prognoses. Ascites was excluded from the analysis because it is included in Child-Pugh grade, and iodized oil uptake was excluded because it cannot be evaluated before treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This simple prognostic index can predict the survival of patients treated with TACE and can therefore be used to decide which patients with unresectable HCC should receive this therapy. TACE should not be administered to patients with one or more positive prognostic factors.     

Treatment outcomes for hepatocellular carcinoma using chemoembolization in combination with other therapies

BACKGROUND: Although transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) improves survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), it is not known if TACE combined with other treatments is beneficial. Aim: To evaluate the evidence for improved outcomes in HCC with a multimodal treatment approach involving TACE. METHOD: PubMed search for all cohort and randomized trials (n=84) evaluating TACE combined with other therapies; meta-analysis performed where appropriate. RESULTS: A meta-analysis involving 4 RCTs showed a significant decrease in mortality favouring combination treatment (TACE plus percutaneous ablation) compared to monotherapy in patients with either small (<3cm) or large HCC nodules (>3cm) (OR, 0.534; 95% CI, 0.288-0.990; p=0.046). TACE combined with local radiotherapy improved survival in patients with tumour thrombosis of the portal vein in 7 non-randomized studies. Two RCTs and 13 non-randomized studies showed that TACE prior to hepatic resection does not improve survival nor tumour recurrence. Conversely, 2 RCTs and 5 comparative studies showed that transarterial injection of chemotherapeutic drugs mixed with lipiodol (TOCE) following hepatectomy confers survival benefit and less tumour recurrence. TACE before liver transplantation is safe and reduces drop-out rate from the waiting list, but there is no current evidence of improvement in subsequent survival or recurrence rate. CONCLUSIONS: A combined approach involving TACE and percutaneous ablation improves survival. Adjuvant TOCE improves outcome after hepatectomy. TACE is useful to control tumours burden while on the waiting list for OLT. Multimodal treatment seems to be the best way to optimize TACE outcomes in HCC.     

Survival rate in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a retrospective analysis of 389 patients

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer worldwide. However, treatment options are limited and often inefficient. The aim of this study was to determine current survival rates for patients diagnosed with HCC and to identify prognostic factors, which will help in choosing optimal therapies for individual patients. A retrospective analysis of medical records was performed on 389 patients who were identified through the central tumour registry at our institution from 1998 to 2003. Clinical parameters, treatments received and survival curves from time of diagnosis were analysed. Overall median survival was 11 months. Liver cirrhosis was diagnosed in 80.5% of all patients. A total of 170 patients received transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) and/or percutaneous ethanol injections (PEI) with a median survival rate of 16 months for patients receiving TACE, 11 months for patients receiving PEI and 24 months for patients receiving TACE followed by PEI. Independent negative prognostic parameters for survival were the presence of portal vein thrombosis, advanced liver cirrhosis (Child-Pugh score B or C) and a score of >2. This study will help to estimate survival rates for patients with HCC according to their clinical status at diagnosis and the treatments received.     

A combination therapy with transarterial chemo-lipiodolization and systemic chemo-infusion for large extensive hepatocellular carcinoma invading portal vein in comparison with conservative management

PURPOSE: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) invading the portal vein is a medical challenge. We evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of a combination of transarterial and systemic chemo-infusion for large HCC with portal vein thrombosis (PVT) compared with conservative management. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a case-control cohort study of 103 consecutive patients with Child-Pugh class A who had a large (>10 cm) HCC with PVT. The patients were assigned to receive either combined transarterial epirubicin (50 mg/m(2)) plus cisplatin (60 mg/m(2)) chemo-lipiodolization and systemic 5-fluorouracil (200 mg/m(2)) chemo-infusion (ECF regimen) at monthly intervals (n=80) or conservative management (n=23). RESULTS: The objective tumor response (21.3 vs. 0%, P=0.011) and overall survival (8.7 vs. 3.5 months, P<0.001) were significantly better in the treatment group than in the conservative group. The prognostic factors for survival were tumor type (P=0.007), bilobar involvement (P=0.001), distant metastasis (P=0.009) and objective tumor response (P<0.001) for the treatment group. Survival benefits with the treatment were also maintained in each subgroup after stratification of these variables. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that when the hepatic function is preserved, a therapeutic strategy could be more beneficial than conservative management for such a large extensive HCC. As a therapeutic option, a combination therapy using ECF regimen may provide a significantly better tumor response and survival benefit in patients with large HCC invading the portal vein.     

经导管动脉化疗栓塞对肝癌合并门静脉癌栓的疗效评价

目的:探讨经导管动脉化疗栓塞对原发性肝细胞癌合并不同分型门静脉癌栓的疗效和预后因素,并评价此标准对临床的指导意义.方法:回顾性收集中国医科大学附属第一医院介入病房2007年1月至2009年12月间符合纳入标准的201例肝细胞癌患者,所有病例均接受规律的经导管动脉化疗栓塞治疗,然后根据合并门静脉癌栓的位置不同而分为4型,并相应的分成四组(I-Ⅳ组),最后对各组进行疗效和生存等统计学分析.结果:全部病例总缓解率为5.5%;有效率为48.3%;3个月、6个月、1年、2年及3年累积生存率分别为91.0%、81.1%、49.8%、15.4%和5.0%;中位生存时间为12个月.I-Ⅳ组的中位生存期分别为20个月、11个月、9个月和3个月.多因素分析显示,门静脉癌栓分型,凝血酶原时间,治疗次数和疗效为影响肝细胞癌患者生存期的独立预后因素.结论:在肝脏功能储备良好的情况下,经导管动脉化疗栓塞是肝细胞癌的一种安全有效的治疗手段,并且随着合并门静脉癌栓位置不同,预后也不同,对I型,Ⅱ型和Ⅲ型门静脉癌栓疗效较为显著,预后相对较好,但Ⅳ型预后较差.     

Prognostic factors and treatment effects for hepatocellular carcinoma in Child C cirrhosis

The aim of this study is to elucidate the prognostic factors and the treatment effect on survival in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with Child C cirrhosis. Out of 3330 newly discovered HCC patients, 157 consecutive HCC individuals with Child C cirrhosis were enrolled. The prognostic factors were examined by Cox proportional hazards regression analysis and their survival was compared by propensity score-matched analysis. Multivariate analysis revealed that high serum bilirubin (>3 mg dl(-1)), the presence of uncontrollable ascites, and a high platelet count (>8 x 10(4) mm(-3)), so-called background liver factors, as well as multiple tumours, large tumours (>3 cm), high alpha-fetoprotein (>400 ng ml(-1)), and the presence of portal vein thrombus, so-called tumour factors, were factors of poor prognosis. While transcatheter arterial chemoembolisation (TACE) was a factor of good prognosis (relative risk=0.50, 95%CI=0.27-0.89, P=0.019), local ablation therapy and transcatheter arterial chemoinfusion (TAI) were not significant prognostic factors. The survival of patients who received TACE was superior to matched patients without active treatment (P=0.009); however, we did not observe survival benefit after local ablation therapy or TAI. These results suggested that tumour factors as well as background liver factors are prognostic factors of HCC even in patients with Child C cirrhosis, and selective use of TACE in these patients provides survival benefit.     

Paraneoplastic syndromes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common malignancy in Taiwan. Some patients may manifest paraneoplastic syndromes during the clinical course of the disease. In this study, the authors evaluated the clinical significance of these paraneoplastic syndromes, compared the prevalence of these syndromes between cases of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related and hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related HCC, and estimated significant predictors associated with the syndromes. METHODS: Clinical data on 1197 HCC patients, including age, gender, Child-Pugh score, survival time, laboratory data (including liver biochemistry, hepatitis markers, and serum alpha-fetoprotein [AFP]), and tumor features (including tumor size, portal vein thrombosis, and histologic pictures), were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 232 of 1197 patients (19.4%) had paraneoplastic syndromes. HCC patients with paraneoplastic syndromes had significantly higher serum AFP; higher rates of initial main portal vein thrombosis, metastasis, and bilobal tumor involvement; larger tumor volume; and shorter survival than those without these syndromes. Patients with HBV-related HCC had a significantly higher prevalence of paraneoplastic syndromes than patients with HCV-related HCC (20.1% vs. 11.2%, P = 0.005). In a stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis, AFP >50,000 ng/mL and tumor volume >30% were significant predictive variables associated with the presence of paraneoplastic syndromes in HCC patients. CONCLUSIONS: HCC patients with paraneoplastic syndromes usually had higher levels of serum AFP and larger tumor volumes than those without. Patients with HBV-related HCC had a significantly higher prevalence of paraneoplastic syndromes than those with HCV-related HCC.     

肝动脉栓塞化疗联合肝复乐治疗晚期肝癌临床疗效观察(英文)

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with a Chinese compound preparation of ganfule on advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: The study population consisted of 132 advanced HCC patients with Child-pugh A/B. Tumor in all patients was involved with main trunk of portal vein and/or inferior vena cava, or local lymph node metastasis, or distant metastasis. TACE combined with ganfule were performed in 65 patients with advanced HCC (interventional treatment group), 67 patients were treated with traditional Chinese herbal drug alone (Chinese herb group). The prime end point was overall survival (OS), and prognostic factors were analyzed. Results: The median OS was 205 days [95% confidence interval (CI), 155-255 days] in interventional treatment group and 127 days (95% CI, 70-184 days) in Chinese herb group (P<0.05). The 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year OS rates were 58.9%, 29.1%, 7.7% in interventional treatment group, and 33.3%, 12.3%, 1.8% in Chinese herb group, respectively. The portal vein thrombosis, ECOG performance status (PS) were independent prognostic factors for OS. Conclusion: Ttranscatheter arterial chemoembolization combined with a Chinese compound preparation of ganfule could greatly prolong the OS of advanced HCC patients. The portal vein thrombosis and ECOG PS were independent prognostic factors for OS.     

Alanine aminotransferase to hemoglobin ratio is an indicator for disease progression for hepatocellular carcinoma patients receiving transcatheter arterial chemoembolization

The prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients receiving transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is far from being identified. The present study aimed to assess the role of blood cell counts, routine liver function tests, and alanine aminotransferase to hemoglobin ratio (AHR) in predicting the progression-free survival (PFS) of these patients. A total of 243 HCC patients receiving TACE were analyzed retrospectively. Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (CLIP) score system was indentified to be the best score system for this patient subgroup according to the Akaike information criterion (AIC) index and linear trend χ ². Then, prognostic value of parameters was determined by integration into the CLIP score system. As a result, AHR was confirmed to be an independent predictor for the PFS of HCC patients receiving TACE (p?=?0.001) with the other parameters failing to reach statistical significance. Moreover, AHR improved the performance of CLIP by adjusting into it, thus improving its discriminatory ability. AHR defined ≤0.4583 as low level and >0.4583 as high level. And, patients were also dichotomized into two groups accordingly. HCC patients receiving TACE with low AHR presented higher 1 year DCR (41.9 vs 18.1 %) compared with patients with high AHR levels. Furthermore, AHR level was associated with prognostic factors such as lower ALP, total bilirubin, and portal vein thrombosis. In summary, the present study firstly indentified AHR as an independent prognostic factor in HCC patients receiving TACE. The subgroup of HCC patients with lower AHR presented preferable disease control and were the idealistic candidates for TACE.     

Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for portal vein thrombosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a common complication in patients with advanced-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The authors evaluated the impact of radiotherapy (RT) for PVT of HCC and analyzed the dose-response relation between RT and PVT. METHODS: Between March 1995 and December 2003, 59 patients diagnosed as HCC with PVT were included. The inclusion criteria were unresectable tumor with thrombosis in the main or first branch of the portal vein, liver function of Child-Pugh Class A or B, and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score of 0-2. The median age of the patients was 57 years (range, 36-78 years). A daily dose ranging from 2 to 3 gray (Gy) was administered using 6 or 10-megavolt (MV) X-rays, at 5 fractions a week, to deliver a total dose range of 30-54 Gy, which was a biologic effective dose of 39-70.2 Gy(10) with an alpha/beta ratio of 10. RESULTS: Follow-up computed tomography scans showed a complete response (CR) in 4 of 59 patients (6.8%), a partial response (PR) in 23 patients (39.0%), no response (NR) in 28 patients (47.5%), and progressive disease (PD) in 4 patients (6.8%). The mean RT doses in the responders (CR and PR) and nonresponders (NR and PD) were 59.6 +/- 5.6 Gy(10) and 54.9 +/- 8.5 Gy(10), respectively (P = 0.036). The response rates in patients receiving < 58 Gy(10) and > or = 58 Gy(10) were 20% and 54.6%, respectively (P = 0.034). The median survival duration and the 1-year and 2-year survival rates in the responders were 10.7 months, 40.7%, and 20.7%, respectively, and were 5.3 months, 25.0%, and 4.7%, respectively, in the nonresponders (P = 0.050). CONCLUSIONS: RT induced a 45.8% objective response rate for PVT in patients with HCC. A dose-response relation was found to exist between the RT dose and PVT response. These results suggested that RT may be a treatment option for PVT in patients with HCC and that an RT dose > or = 58 Gy(10) should be recommended.     

肝细胞癌化疗栓塞后血清血管内皮细胞生长因子与转移关系的研究

目的　前瞻性评估肝细胞癌 (HCC)经导管化疗栓塞 (TACE)前后血清血管内皮细胞生长因子 (VEGF)表达变化与复发转移的关系。方法　采用酶联免疫夹心法 (ELISA)对 3 0例HCC患者分别于术前、术后 3d和 4周测量血清VEGF水平 ,TACE术后 3个月评估复发转移发生情况。结果　 3 0例HCC患者术前血清VEGF表达范围为 154.47± 90 .17pg/ml ,术后血清VEGF表达较术前增高 (P <0 .0 5)。在碘油分布不均匀及门静脉癌栓组中 ,血清VEGF表达增高。追踪半年后 ,血清VEGF水平升高者中有 74%复发 ,而血清VEGF表达下降者无一例复发。结论　HCC患者TACE后血清VEGF表达增加 ,与复发转移发生有关     

Sorafenib With and Without Transarterial Chemoembolization for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma With Main Portal Vein Tumor Thrombosis: A Retrospective Analysis

Background.

The survival benefit of combining sorafenib and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) therapy compared with sorafenib monotherapy for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and main portal vein tumor thrombosis (MPVTT) is unclear.

Methods.

Between January 2009 and June 2013, 183 consecutive patients with advanced HCC (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C) and MPVTT were retrospectively reviewed. Of these, 89 patients with advanced HCC and MPVTT were enrolled in this study: 45 were treated with combination therapy (sorafenib-TACE group), and the other 44 treated with sorafenib monotherapy (sorafenib group).

Results.

The mean number of TACE sessions per patient was 2.6 (range: 1–5). The median duration of sorafenib in the sorafenib-TACE group and sorafenib group was 5.6 months and 5.4 months, respectively. The disease control rate was similar between the two groups. Median time to progression was 3.0 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.2, 3.7) in the sorafenib-TACE group, and 3.0 months (95% CI: 2.1, 3.8) in the sorafenib group (p = .924). Median overall survival was 7.0 months (95% CI: 6.1, 7.8) and 6.0 months (95% CI: 4.7, 7.3) in the sorafenib-TACE group and the sorafenib group, respectively (p = .544). The adverse events related to sorafenib were comparable between the two groups. Twenty-one adverse events of grade 3–4 related to TACE occurred in 12 patients (26.7%), and 2 of them died (4.4%).

Conclusion.

This study demonstrated no advantage of combination therapy over sorafenib monotherapy. Considering the patients’ morbidity after TACE, sorafenib monotherapy is appropriate for managing patients with advanced HCC and MPVTT.

Implications for Practice:

For patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and main portal vein tumor thrombosis (MPVTT), no benefit was seen in this study in terms of disease control rate, time to progression, and overall survival for patients receiving sorafenib and transarterial chemoembolization compared with those receiving sorafenib monotherapy. Considering the patients’ morbidity after combination therapy, monotherapy is appropriate for managing patients with advanced HCC and MPVTT.     

肝细胞癌伴门静脉癌栓不同治疗方法的疗效比较

目的 比较不同治疗方法对肝细胞癌伴门静脉癌栓的治疗效果。方法 回顾分析84例肝细胞癌合并门静脉癌栓患者的临床资料。按不同治疗方法分成5组：手术切除 癌栓取出 术后肝动脉化疗栓塞术(TACE)和胸腺肽治疗组(A组)9例;手术切除 癌栓取出 术后TACE治疗组(B组)20例;手术切除 癌栓取出组(C组)7例;TACE治疗组(D组)38例;保守治疗组(E组)10例。比较各组癌栓变化和生存期。结果A、B、C、D、E各组对癌栓治疗有效率分别为66．7％、70．0％、57．1％、7．9％和0,中位生存期分别为10．0,7．0,8．0,5．0和2．0个月,1年生存率分别为44．4％、15．0％、14．3％、10．5％和0。结论 手术切除 癌栓取出术可清除大部分癌栓,术后TACE可进一步提高患者的生存率。     

Hepatic resection versus transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus

BACKGROUND:

The long‐term survival outcomes of hepatic resection (HR) compared with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) are unclear.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Between December 2002 and December 2007, 201 consecutive patients diagnosed with resectable HCC with PVTT received HR as an initial treatment in our center. These patients were compared with 402 case‐matched controls selected from a pool of 1798 patients (with a 1:2 ratio) who received TACE as an initial treatment during the study period. PVTT was classified to 4 types: PVTT involving the segmental branches of the portal vein or above (type I), PVTT extending to involve the right/left portal vein (type II), the main portal vein (type III), or the superior mesenteric vein (type IV).

RESULTS:

The 1‐, 3‐, and 5‐year overall survivals for the HR and TACE groups were 42.0%, 14.1%, and 11.1% and 37.8%, 7.3%, and 0.5%, respectively (P < .001). On subgroup analyses, the overall survivals for the HR group were better than the TACE group for type I PVTT, type II PVTT, single tumor, and tumor size >5 cm (P < .001, P = .002, P < .001, P < .001, respectively), but not for type III PVTT, type IV PVTT, multiple tumors, and tumor size <5 cm (P = .541, P = .371, P = .264, P = .338, P = .125, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed the type of PVTT and initial treatment allocation were significant prognostic factors for overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS:

Compared with TACE, HR provided survival benefits for patients with resectable HCC with PVTT, especially for those with a type I PVTT or a type II PVTT. Cancer 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.     

经肝动脉化疗栓塞联合射频消融治疗原发性肝细胞癌合并门静脉癌栓的预后影响因素分析

背景与目的：经肝动脉化疗栓塞（transcatheter arterial chemoembolization,TACE)是否为治疗原发性肝细胞癌（hepatocellular carcinoma,HCC）合并门静脉癌栓（portal vein tumor thrombus,PVTT）的绝对禁忌,目前尚无定论。该研究旨在探讨TACE联合射频消融（radiofrequency ablation,RFA）治疗HCC合并PVTT的预后影响因素。方法：回顾性分析2011年1月1日—2013年12月31日于郑州大学附属肿瘤医院行TACE联合RFA治疗的HCC合并PVTT的157例患者的临床资料及随访数据,单因素及多因素Cox回归分析人口学资料、实验室指标及临床资料与生存时间和肿瘤转移复发情况的关系。结果：多因素Cox回归结果显示,在调整和控制其他因素后,血清白蛋白（albumin,ALB）水平为TACE联合RFA治疗后HCC合并PVTT患者3年生存及降低肿瘤复发转移风险的保护性因素,术前甲胎蛋白（alpha-fetoprotein,AFP）、丙氨酸转氨酶（alanine aminotransferase,ALT）、天门冬氨酸转氨酶（aspartate transaminase,AST）水平、门静脉癌栓部位及肝功能Child Pugh分级为患者3年生存的独立危险因素;AFP、AST水平及门静脉癌栓部位为肿瘤复发转移的独立危险因素。结论：TACE联合RFA并非治疗HCC合并PVTT的绝对禁忌,在治疗前对患者进行相关因素评估有助于更好地选择治疗方法和时机,从而提高HCC治疗水平。     

肝动脉化疗栓塞治疗5 cm以下肝癌的疗效及预后因素

目的研究肝动脉化疗栓塞(TACE)治疗直径＜5 cm肝癌的效果以及预后因素.方法对1995年2月～2004年2月间肝动脉化疗栓塞治疗的直径＜5 cm的原发性肝癌患者160例的效果进行回顾性分析,log-rank方法单因素分析影响预后的因素,多因素分析采用Cox比例风险模型确定独立的危险因素.结果肝动脉化疗栓塞后的1年、3年、5年生存率分别为77.52%、47.42%、33.68%.血清胆红素水平＞17.0μmol/L、凝血酶原时间超过14 s、有门静脉癌栓和有远处转移是影响预后的独立的危险因素.结论对于手术不能切除的直径＜5 cm的肝癌,肝动脉化疗栓塞是可供选择的有效治疗方法,但有血清胆红素升高或凝血酶原延长的病人,或有门静脉癌栓和远处转移的病人,预后较差.     

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was treated with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in a sample of 129 patients. The cumulative survival rate was 49% at 1 year and 22% at 2 years. The median survival time was 11.9 months. The survival rates at 1 year of 84 patients in Child's group A and 27 in Child's group B were 56% and 40%; out of 52 HCC patients with portal vein patent and 77 with portal vein invasion 75% and 40% survived, and the 1-year survival rates for 33 HCC patients with capsule intact, 14 with caspule broken and 82 with no capsule were 85%, 65% and 40% respectively. From the above results there were statistically significant differences in survival time in those with good clinical performance status by Child's classification, those showing patency of the portal vein and those where the capsule was present. Therefore, we would like to recommend, TACE of HCC in well-selected patients presenting with good clinical status, patency of the portal vein and without broken capsule, in order to achieve better clinical results.