Nine patients with hepatocellular carcinoma surviving for more than six years after treatment, including two patients who have survived without recurrence after hepatic lobectomy.
Of patients treated for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accompanied by liver cirrhosis at our University Hospital between 1985 and 1990, clinical background factors in nine patients (7.0% of all patients) who survived for more than six years were examined to clarify the conditions that facilitate long-term survival. In particular, we describe two cases among these patients who have survived without the recurrence of a liver tumor for more than six years after hepatic lobectomy. In eight of nine patients, surgery was performed as the initial treatment. In seven patients, HCC was solitary and there was no portal invasion. Six patients were evaluated as Stage I according to clinical staging. Furthermore, the two patients without recurrence after treatment have been taking immunostimulators since their initial treatment until the present. The above observations suggest that surgical treatment should be considered in patients in whom hepatic reserve capacity is well maintained despite a tumor size greater than 2 cm. Subsequent recurrence should be detected earlier, and percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT) with a focus on maintaining liver function should be repeated. In addition, multi-disciplinary treatment including medication with immunostimulators is beneficial.
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Japan.
A
A
Watanabe
H
H
Wakabayashi
R
R
Harada
S
S
Nambu
Y
Y
Atarashi
S
S
Yasumura
N
N
Aiba
K
K
Okada
Y
Y
Shimizu
T
T
Takahara
K
K
Higuchi
S
S
Saito
D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017741:Survivors