title: Treatment of portal vein tumor thrombosis of hepatoma patients with either stereotactic radiotherapy or three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) often have unresectable tumors. Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is one of the limited alternative treatments that can prolong these patients' survival. However, the presence of portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) is a contraindication for TACE and, therefore, HCC patients with PVTT would be depleted of the advantage of TACE. The purpose of this study was to analyze the recanalization rate of thrombosed portal vein and treatment toxicities after stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) or three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT).
  
  
  METHODS
  From March 2002 to November 2004, 43 patients were enrolled in this prospective study. Twenty-two patients were in the SRT group and 21 in the 3DCRT group. For SRT, 3 Gy per fraction, 3 fractions per week, was given to a total dose of 45 Gy. For 3DCRT, a daily dose of 1.8 Gy, 5 fractions per week, was given to a total dose of 45 Gy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 43 patients, 16 completed the planned radiotherapy. Eventually, 14 patients received evaluation for portal vein recanalization, 8 in the SRT and 6 in the 3DCRT group, respectively. For all patients, the crude response rate was 26%. For 14 evaluable patients, the crude response rate was 79%. It was 75% in the SRT group and 83% in the 3DCRT group (P = 0.71). The median survival time was 6.0 and 6.7 months for the SRT and 3DCRT group, respectively (P = 0.911).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Image-based radiotherapy, either SRT or 3DCRT, can recanalize the PVTT in unresectable HCC patients. Responders also had better 1 year and 2 year survivals. A more strict patient selection criterion may maximize the potential benefits of radiotherapy for hepatoma patients with PVTT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Tri-Service General Hospital, 325 Section 2 Cheng-Kong Rd., Nei-Hu 11490, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. bookslin.tw@yahoo.com.tw
authors.forename: Chun-Shu
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yee-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Jen
authors.forename: Su-Yun
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Jing-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Hsing-Lung
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: Hon-Yi
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Weng-Yoon
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Shum
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000473:pathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000379:methods; D015996:Survival Rate