Outcome and pattern of recurrence after curative resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with a normal liver compared to patients with a diseased liver.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether differences existed in demography and outcome after resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with a normal liver compared to patients with a diseased liver.


METHODS
Twenty-seven Caucasian patients with HCC in a histologically proven normal liver (NL group) in the Netherlands and 141 Asian patients with HCC in a diseased liver (DL group) in Japan underwent a curative liver resection. Patient and tumor characteristics, post-resectional disease-free, overall survival rates and pattern of recurrence were investigated.


RESULTS
HCC's in the NL group were found to be larger, in a more advanced stage and needed more extended resections compared to HCC's in the DL group. Microvascular invasion was similar in both groups, while capsule formation was observed less in the NL group. Overall survival and disease-free survival after curative resection were not statistically different between both groups. Also even after stratification for T-stage, there was no difference in survival. Although the rate of recurrence was similar in both groups, a significantly higher number of extrahepatic metastases was observed in the NL group.


CONCLUSIONS
Distinct demographic differences existed between patients with HCC in the NL group compared to patients in the DL group. Extrahepatic recurrences were more frequent after curative resection for HCC in a normal liver. No difference in survival was demonstrated between both groups.
Eguchi
Susumu
S
Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, Department of Surgery , University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands. sueguchi@net.nagasaki-u.ac.jp
Ijtsma
Alexander J C
AJ
Slooff
Maarten J H
MJ
Porte
Robert J
RJ
de Jong
Koert P
KP
Peeters
Paul M J G
PM
Gouw
Anette S H
AS
Kanematsu
Takashi
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000601:surgery*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000601:surgery*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D044465:White People