Long-term results of elective hepatectomy for the treatment of ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma

Background/Purpose According to the General rules for the clinical and pathological study of primary liver cancer, compiled by the Liver Cancer Study Group of Japan, ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is classified as stage 4, even if the tumor is small and solitary. We examined the long-term results of elective hepatectomy for the treatment of ruptured HCC. Methods A first hepatectomy was performed without operative death in 193 patients with HCC. Ten patients had ruptured HCC (ruptured group) and 183 patients had nonruptured HCC (nonruptured group). The extension of HCC was macroscopically classified as stage 1 in 23 patients, stage 2 in 71, stage 3 in 53, and stage 4 in 46. Results Cumulative survival rates in the ruptured group at 1, 5, and 10 years were 90.0%, 67.5%, and 20.3%, respectively. The cumulative survival rate was lower in patients with stage 4 disease in the nonruptured group than that in patients in the ruptured group (P < 0.05). Cumulative survival rates did not differ significantly between patients in the ruptured group and those with stage 2 or stage 3 disease. Conclusions Survival rates after elective hepatectomy in patients with ruptured HCC are good, even if the disease is classified as stage 4.