Changes and significance of circulating hepatocellular carcinoma cells in recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma patients after combined treatment.
OBJECTIVE
To study the changes and significance of circulating hepatocellular carcinoma cells in recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients after combined treatment of transarterial chemo-embolization(TACE) and percutaneous ethanol injection(PEI).


METHODS
We detected 19 blood samples from the recurrent HCC patients by nested RT-PCR to find out AFP mRNA before and after the treatment.


RESULTS
There were 7 patients with AFP mRNA positive before treatment (36.8%), and none of patients with AFP mRNA positive after treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Combined treatment of TACE and PEI can effectively eliminate circulating hepatocellular carcinoma cells and thereby prevent metastasis and recurrence of HCC.
Institute of East Hepatobiliary Surgery, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
Y
Y
Liu
M
M
Wu
G
G
Qian
B
B
Zhang
H
H
Chen
J
J
Fu
C
C
Huang
D000328:Adult; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000187:drug effects*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000235:genetics
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D000431:Ethanol