AN APPROACH IMPROVING LONG-TERM OUTCOME OF SURGERY FOR HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA: ANALYSIS OF 113 PATIENTS SURVIVING MORE THAN FIVE YEARS

A total of 113 patients with pathologically proven hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surviving more than 5 years after surgery are investigated from February 1961 to July 1986. Of them. 104 patients underwent resection of HCC and nine patients underwent hepatic artery ligationHAL) and/ or infusion chemotherapy (HAI) for unresectable HCC. Subclinical stage amounted to 49.6%(56/113) and moderate stage to 50. 4% (57/113). There were 55 patients with small HCC(<= 5 cm). Cirrhosis was present in 81.4% (92/113) .Radical resection was performed in 96.2% ( 100/ 104) .Reoperation for subclinical recurrence and solitary pulmonary metastasis was done in 23 patients, and second- look resection of huge tumors, in six patients. By the end of May 1991. 37 of the 113 patients had survived for more than 10 years; 16 patients, more than 15 years; and seven patients, more than 20 years. One patient has survived for 29 years and 8 months after resection of HCC. These results indicate that early detection and radical resection

An approach improving long-term outcome of surgery for hepatocellular carcinoma: Analysis of 113 patients surviving more than five years

A total of 113 patients with pathologically proven hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surviving more than 5 years after surgery are investigated from February 1961 to July 1986. Of them. 104 patients underwent resection of HCC and nine patients underwent hepatic artery ligationHAL) and/ or infusion chemotherapy (HAI) for unresectable HCC. Subclinical stage amounted to 49.6%(56/113) and moderate stage to 50. 4% (57/113). There were 55 patients with small HCC(<= 5 cm). Cirrhosis was present in 81.4% (92/113) .Radical resection was performed in 96.2% ( 100/ 104) .Reoperation for subclinical recurrence and solitary pulmonary metastasis was done in 23 patients, and second- look resection of huge tumors, in six patients. By the end of May 1991. 37 of the 113 patients had survived for more than 10 years; 16 patients, more than 15 years; and seven patients, more than 20 years. One patient has survived for 29 years and 8 months after resection of HCC. These results indicate that early detection and radical resection are the principal factorsinfluencing long-term survival: reoperation for subclinical recurrence and solitary pulmonary metastasis remains an important approach to prolonging survival further after radical resection: HAL and HAI may provide a hope for survival prolongation in some patients with unresectable huge HCC.