title: Percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy for primary or recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma: long-term results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the indication of percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three hepatocellular carcinoma patients who underwent percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy were enrolled in this study, including 18 primary and 15 recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma patients. We examined the local recurrence rates and the long-term results after the treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall survival rates of the primary group at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 years were 94.4%, 77.8%, 77.8%, 77.8% and 48.6%, respectively, whereas those of the recurrent group were 100%, 85.7%, 66.7% and 50.0% at 1, 2, 3 and 4 years, respectively. Local recurrence after percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy was found in about 50% of patients in both groups. Seventeen of the 27 patients (63.0%) with a moderately or poorly differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma tumor had local recurrence, while none of the 6 patients with a well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma tumor did (P = 0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Irrespective of primary or recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma, the indication of percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy as an alternative to hepatic resection should be limited to cases of a well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma tumor smaller than 2 cm in diameter.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery II, Hiroshima University Faculty of Medicine, 1-2-3, Kasumi, Minami-Ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan. titamoto@mua.biglobe.ne.jp
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Itamoto
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katayama
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakahara
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugino
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marubayashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Asahara
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome