title: Extent of resection for hepatocellular carcinoma 2 cm or less in greatest diameter.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effectiveness of liver segmentectomy or larger resection in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) 2 cm or less in greatest diameter has not been clarified.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1985 to 1994, 125 patients with solitary HCC 2 cm or less in greatest diameter underwent curative hepatectomy (liver segmentectomy or larger resection, 94; subsegmentectomy, 31). The relationship between clinicopathological findings and surgical outcomes were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 5- and 10-year survival rates were 68% and 47%, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed the Child-Pugh class to be a significant prognostic factor. However, liver segmentectomy or larger resection did not have any significant effect on long-term survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that no further improvement of the survival rate can be achieved by liver segmentectomy or larger resection, compared with subsegmentectomy in patients with solitary HCC 2 cm or less in greatest diameter.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Institute of Gastroenterology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1, Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, 162-8666, Tokyo, Japan. m-yama@jg7.so-net.ne.jp
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takasaki
authors.forename: Takehito
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Otsubo
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis