Clinical significance of hepatic resection in hepatocellular carcinoma: analysis by disease-free survival curves.
OBJECTIVE
The clinical significance of hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still controversial because of frequent intrahepatic recurrence, which results from either recurrence due to residual intrahepatic metastasis (Rim) or recurrence due to metachronous, multicentric liver carcinogenesis (Rmc).


METHODS
Retrospective review. Disease-free survival curves were obtained by the Kaplan-Meier method and the rates of Rim and Rmc were analyzed using 2 regression lines, based on the evidence that Rmc occurs at a constant rate throughout follow-up, whereas Rim occurs only in the early postoperative period.


METHODS
University hospital.


METHODS
From 1980 to 1996, 241 patients with HCC who underwent curative hepatic resection.


METHODS
Intrahepatic recurrence.


RESULTS
Disease-free survival curves for all patients in the early (within 2 years) and late (4 years after surgery) follow-up were approximated by 2 regression lines, which represent both Rim and Rmc (Y(1) = -3.4X + 48) and only Rmc (Y(2) = -23.1X + 98). Using this approximation, the annual incidence of Rim within 2 years (a(1)-a(2)) was calculated as 19.7% and that of Rmc (a(2)) was 3.4%. The ratio of Rim in tumor recurrence (b(1)-b(2)) was 50%, and that of Rmc (b(1)) was 48%. The ratios of Rmc in patients with stages I and II HCC were 60% and 64%, respectively. In contrast, the values could not be calculated in patients with stages III and IVA because all but 2 patients showed recurrence within 4 years after surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Tumor recurrence is estimated to result from metachronous liver carcinogenesis in 48% of hepatectomized patients with HCC.
Sakon
M
M
Department of Surgery and Clinical Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. msakon@surg2.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
Umeshita
K
K
Nagano
H
H
Eguchi
H
H
Kishimoto
S
S
Miyamoto
A
A
Ohshima
S
S
Dono
K
K
Nakamori
S
S
Gotoh
M
M
Monden
M
M
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate