title: [Small unilocular hepatocellular carcinoma (0 < 5 cm) in patients with liver cirrhosis. Early diagnosis, surgical indications, resection and prognosis].
abstract: In 151 (17.5%) of 861 patients with liver cirrhosis regularly screened by sonography and determination of alpha-fetoprotein a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was detected. Diagnosis was verified by sonographically guided fine needle puncture and exceptionally by laparoscopy and direct puncture. In 34 patients (22.5%) selection criteria for operation were a tumour diameter under 5 cm, no central localisation in the liver and at least 5 mm distant from the main structures; furthermore multilocular HCC and intra- and extrahepatic metastases were contraindications. Additionally Child-Pugh-classification should be A + B and urea synthesis rate 6 g per day. 27 patients (80%) had esophagogastric varices seen at endoscopy and 20 (59%) had bleeding episodes from varices managed endoscopically or surgically. Types of surgical resections were segmentectomy [17], bisegmentectomy [10] and oncologically defined wedge resections [7] using controlled hypotension and interrupted occlusion of the hepatoduodenal ligament. 4 patients (11.8%) died within 30 days of liver failure [3] and sepsis [1]. All patients could be followed up for eleven years: 18 patients died after 1.5-10 years of liver failure, tumour recurrence or second tumour and a cause not associated with HCC, 12 patients are living. Kaplan-Meier survival curves show that survival at 5 years is 50% and at 10 years 34%. The main indicators for a good prognosis were clinically the HBsAG-activity, the Child-Pugh-classification and the application of autologous blood, pathologic-anatomically the classification and grading and histologically the absence of vascular invasion, absence of satellites and a number of mitoses under 7 in the visual field. For tumour recurrence dysplasia is of positive influence.--Liver resection remains the most widely used therapeutic option for treatment of HCC in cirrhosis. The early and long-term results can be improved by early diagnosis, strict selection of patients for operation and the use of well defined clinical, pathological and histological criteria.
authors.affiliation: Department für Allgemein-, Viszeral- und Gefässchirurgie des Heinz-Kalk-Krankenhauses, Bad Kissingen.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Paquet
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lazar
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Heine
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jachmann-Jahn
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors