Radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To retrospectively evaluate the effectiveness of radiotherapy with or without transarterial embolization (TAE) and/or percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who were ineligible for surgery.


METHODS
From October 1984 to November 1997, 62 patients underwent radiotherapy receiving 50 to 70 Gy in 25 to 35 treatments with or without transarterial embolization and/or percutaneous ethanol injection and were followed for a median period of 8.6 months (1.5 to 92 months).


RESULTS
Overall median survival rates were 9.5 months. Significant prognostic factors were the extent of pretreatment liver function impairment, radiation field size and the existence of tumor thrombosis. Six-month and 1-year local control rates were 67 and 54%, respectively. Seven of the 8 patients who suffered from hepatic failure had poor pretreatment liver functions.


CONCLUSIONS
Radiotherapy with or without transarterial embolization and/or percutaneous ethanol injection appears effective in controlling hepatocellular carcinoma and prolonged survival. Individualized treatment strategies are presented depending on the tumor presentation and the degree of liver function impairment.
Tokuuye
K
K
Radiation Oncology Division, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. ktokuyne@gan2.ncc.go.jp
Sumi
M
M
Kagami
Y
Y
Murayama
S
S
Kawashima
M
M
Ikeda
H
H
Ueno
H
H
Okusaka
T
T
Okada
S
S
D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015552:Injections, Intralesional; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000431:Ethanol