[Case report: primary hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy in a case of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)].
BACKGROUND
Hepatocellular carcinomas are among the most frequent solid tumour entities worldwide. Because of the advanced tumour stage frequently observed at diagnosis a tumour resection as a curative treatment option is often impossible. Therefore the consideration of alternative treatment methods (possibly enhancing the chance of a subsequent tumour resection) and the improvement of existing palliative treatment options are gaining considerable importance.


METHODS
A 77-years-old female patient was diagnosed to have a rapidly progredient expansion in the liver in August 2003. Due to its large extension a local tumour resection was impossible and therefore a hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy up to a total dose of 55.0 Gy (single dose 1.2 Gy / 1.3 Gy 2 daily fractions, 12 fractions per week, overall treatment time: 27 days) was applied to both well-definable expansions (segments IV and V) from September to October 2003.


RESULTS
Despite the large target volume (about 50% of the total liver volume) at an extended HCC and considering the fact that initially symptomatic treatment was aimed at, a curative tumour resectability with subsequent R0 partial liver resection at an interval of 9 months could be achieved by means of radiotherapy treatment.
Friedrich
F
F
Klinik für Strahlentherapie und Radioonkologie, Universitätsklinikum Leipzig AöR, Leipzig. franziska.friedrich@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
Papsdorf
K
K
Liebmann
A
A
Wolf
U
U
Lamesch
P
P
Hildebrandt
G
G
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome