title: Percutaneous ethanol injection therapy of hepatoma.
abstract: Percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) under ultrasound guidance is a new therapeutic possibility for patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In our series, 35 patients with a total of 50 tumors were treated (tumor size 0.8-5.0 cm). No significant complications occurred after 502 sessions of ethanol injection. Thirty patients presented complete remission, as no evidence of residual HCC was revealed during the follow-up (mean 16 months). Five patients with lesions larger than 3.5 cm presented only partial remission. The survival curves at 1, 2, and 3 years (Kaplan Meier method) were 100%, 100%, and 80%, respectively. In comparison with the survival curves of untreated and surgically treated patients, PEI seems to be the better treatment for operable HCC smaller than 3 cm, and for lesions smaller than 5 cm in patients with high surgical risk.
authors.affiliation: Reparto di Radiologia, Ospedale Civile, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Livraghi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vettori
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015911:Sclerotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D015996:Survival Rate; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol