Natural history of minute hepatocellular carcinoma smaller than three centimeters complicating cirrhosis. A study in 22 patients.
Twenty-two patients with cirrhosis and minute hepatocellular carcinoma less than 3 cm in diameter were followed for periods of 6-37 mo without specific treatment. The survival curve drawn by the Kaplan-Meier method showed a 1-yr survival of 90.7%, a 2-yr survival of 55.0%, and a 3-yr survival of 12.8%. The ultrasonic patterns of these masses in the liver were correlated with the size and showed a tendency to change from a low echo pattern to a low periphery and, finally, to a massive pattern. The growth speed calculated from the doubling time for tumor volume varied considerably from case to case with an average of 6.5 +/- 5.7 mo; it also changed in some cases during the observation period. Serum alpha-fetoprotein levels were generally low, rarely assisted in diagnosis, but tended to increase when the mass attained a diameter of greater than 3 cm; sudden acceleration in the rate of increase in alpha-fetoprotein level often coincided with a change of ultrasonic pattern to the massive one.
M
M
Ebara
M
M
Ohto
T
T
Shinagawa
N
N
Sugiura
K
K
Kimura
S
S
Matsutani
M
M
Morita
H
H
Saisho
Y
Y
Tsuchiya
K
K
Okuda
D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins