Risk factors for intrahepatic recurrence after hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Long-term survival after hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma is still poor because of tumor recurrence especially in the liver remnant. The risk factors for intrahepatic recurrence after liver resection are studied in our cohort of patients.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis from a prospective database was performed on 76 consecutive successful hepatectomies for hepatocellular carcinoma.


RESULTS
Twenty-two patients had intrahepatic recurrence. The following were not found to be risk factors for recurrence: age, sex, race, number of segments resected, and mean operating time. By using multivariate analysis, serum aspartate transaminase level, more than 1 hepatocellular carcinoma nodule, and presence of tumor thrombi were found to be significant risk factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients who with these risk factors should undergo close follow-up to detect recurrence early; treatment with reresection, chemoembolization, or radiofrequency ablation can be considered.
Ibrahim
Salleh
S
Department of General Surgery, Changi General Hospital, 2 Simei Street 3, Changi, Singapore 507027. salleh_ibrahim@cgh.com.sg
Roychowdhury
Anupama
A
Hean
Tay Khoon
TK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors