A prospective, randomized, controlled trial of preoperative transarterial chemoembolization for resectable large hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of preoperative transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for resectable large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).


BACKGROUND
Resection of HCC is potentially curative, but local recurrence is very common. There is currently no effective neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy.


METHODS
From July 2001 to December 2003, 108 patients (hepatitis B carrier = 98.1%) with resectable HCC (> or =5 cm) was randomly assigned to preoperative TACE treatment (n = 52) or no preoperative treatment (control group) (n = 56).


RESULTS
Five patients (9.6%) in the preoperative TACE group did not receive surgical therapy because of extrahepatic metastasis or liver failure. The preoperative TACE group had a lower resection rate (n = 47, 90.4% vs. n = 56, 100%; P= 0.017), and longer operative time (mean, 176.5 minutes vs. 149.3 minutes; P= 0.042). No significant difference was found between the 2 groups in operative blood loss, surgical morbidity, and hospital mortality.At a median follow-up of 57 months, 41 (78.8%) of 52 patients in the preoperative TACE group and 51 (91.1%) of 56 patients in the control group had recurrent disease (P= 0.087). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year disease-free survival rates were 48.9%, 25.5%, and 12.8%, respectively, for the preoperative TACE group and 39.2%, 21.4%, and 8.9%, respectively, for the control group (P= 0.372). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates were 73.1%, 40.4%, and 30.7%, respectively, for the preoperative TACE group and 69.6%, 32.1%, and 21.1%, respectively, for the control group (P= 0.679).


CONCLUSIONS
Preoperative TACE did not improve surgical outcome. It resulted in drop-out from definitive surgery because of progression of disease and liver failure.
Zhou
Wei-Ping
WP
The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Lai
Eric C H
EC
Li
Ai-Jun
AJ
Fu
Si-Yuan
SY
Zhou
Jian-Ping
JP
Pan
Ze-Ya
ZY
Lau
Wan Yee
WY
Wu
Meng-Chao
MC
D000328:Adult; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome