title: Subclinical hepatocellular carcinoma: an analysis of 391 patients.
abstract: Subclinical hepatocellular carcinoma (SCHCC) is defined as HCC without obvious HCC symptoms and signs. During 1958-1991, 391 patients with SCHCC were analyzed. In the entire series, 1) 67.3% was detected by natural population screening using alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) serosurvey, while the others were discovered by high-risk population screening or regular health checkup using AFP and/or ultrasonography (US); 2) AFP > 20 micrograms/L was found in 77.6% of patients; 3) serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was positive in 68.9%; 4) associated liver cirrhosis occurred in 89.1%; 5) the median tumor size was 5 cm, and small HCC (< or = 5 cm) amounted to 61.1%; 6) resection was done in 81.4%, and limited resection was performed in the majority (71.3%); 7) re-resection for subclinical recurrence was done in 44 patients; and 8) cytoreduction and sequential resection was carried out in 13 patients with unresectable SCHCC. Comparison between SCHCC and clinical HCC (n = 1,251) revealed higher resectability (81.4% vs. 46.8%), lower operative mortality (1.9% vs. 6.0%), and higher 5-year survival (entire series: 50.7% vs. 20.6%; resection: 60.5% vs. 36.8%). It is concluded that the study of SCHCC has resulted in marked improvement of ultimate outcome of HCC; screening in high-risk populations using AFP and/or US, limited resection, and re-resection for subclinical recurrence are some of the key features.
authors.affiliation: Liver Cancer Institute, Shanghai Medical University, China.
authors.forename: Z Y
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Y Q
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: X D
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Z C
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Z Y
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D005260:Female; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins