[Efficacy of percutaneous ethanol injection therapy in Korean with hepatocellular carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
Percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT) is widely used for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, its long-term therapeutic efficacy is not verified in Korea, one of hepatitis B virus (HBV) endemic areas. Thus, this study was to assess its efficacy and prognostic factors affecting tumor-free survival following PEIT in Korean HCC patients.


METHODS
From 1997 to 1999, 100 consecutive patients who had 1 to 3 HCC nodules of maximum diameter less than 3 cm and underwent PEIT were enrolled. Therapeutic efficacy, overall and tumor-free survival rates were assessed during follow-up periods.


RESULTS
In 83 patients, HCC nodules were completely ablated by PEIT. The cumulative 1, 2, and 3 year overall survival rates were 98%, 96%, and 88%, respectively. The cumulative 1, 2, and 3 year tumor-free survival rates were 73%, 50%, and 37%, respectively. Larger tumors (>or= 2 cm) were associated with a higher local recurrence rate.


CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrate that PEIT is therapeutically useful in patients with HCC less than 4 in number and less than 3 cm in diameter. However, since multiple or large tumors are associated with low tumor-free survival or high local recurrence rates, PEIT for these tumors and the subsequent post-treatment follow-up should be performed carefully.
Kang
Hyoun Woo
HW
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
Yoon Jun
YJ
Kim
Kang Mo
KM
Kang
Jung Mook
JM
Kim
Su Hwan
SH
Kim
Jin Hyun
JH
Yoon
Won Jae
WJ
Yoon
Jung-Hwan
JH
Yoon
Yong Bum
YB
Lee
Hyo-Suk
HS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D015552:Injections, Intralesional; D007723:Korea; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D015996:Survival Rate
D000431:Ethanol