title: Anatomic resection independently improves long-term survival in patients with T1-T2 hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to evaluate the effect of anatomic resection on long-term outcomes in patients with pathologic T1-T2 (pT1-T2) hepatocellular carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of 158 consecutive patients who underwent either anatomic (n = 95) or nonanatomic (n = 63) resection for pT1-T2 hepatocellular carcinoma was conducted. Anatomic resection was defined as the complete removal of at least one Couinaud segment containing the tumor; nonanatomic resection was defined as removal of the tumor plus a rim of nonneoplastic liver parenchyma. The median follow-up time was 83 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients who underwent anatomic resection were characterized by lower prevalence of cirrhosis (P = .015), more favorable hepatic function (P = .001), larger tumor size (P = .029), and higher prevalence of vascular invasion (P = .008) compared with patients who underwent nonanatomic resection. Anatomic resection provided better survival (median survival time, 122 months) than nonanatomic resection (median survival time, 76 months; P = .0358). Patients who underwent anatomic resection had better disease-free survival (P = .0121). Anatomic resection independently improved both survival (hazard ratio, .46; P = .003) and disease-free survival (hazard ratio, .55; P = .008). When stratified for pT classification, the effectiveness of anatomic resection remained only in patients with pT2 tumors in terms of survival (P = .0012) and disease-free survival (P = .0004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anatomic resection independently improves long-term survival in patients with T1-T2 hepatocellular carcinoma, probably because of the clearance of venous tumor thrombi within the resected domain.
authors.affiliation: Division of Digestive and General Surgery, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 1-757 Asahimachi-dori, Niigata City 951-8510, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshifumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wakai
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shirai
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sakata
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Pauldion V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Kouhei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Akazawa
authors.forename: Katsuyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hatakeyama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate