title: Combined therapy with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and percutaneous microwave coagulation for small hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy of combined transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy (PMCT) for small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five patients with a total of 41 HCC nodules (<= 3 cm in diameter) were treated with TACE followed by computed tomograghy (CT)-guided percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy (PMCT) within 1-3 wk.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By biopsies and enhanced CT scans, complete necrosis of the tumor and 3-5 mm of the surrounding non-cancerous area were observed in 34 foci. In seven foci, incomplete necrosis of the surrounding parenchyma was observed. Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels returned to normal 10 d after treatment in 25 patients who originally had high serum AFP levels. The follow-up period was 6-31 mo, and all patients remained alive. One patient had a recurrence in the subsegments of the liver, and another patient had a recurrence near the original lesion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combined therapy with TACE and PMCT is a safe and effective treatment without severe complications for small HCC.
authors.affiliation: Interventional Radiology Department, Union Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350001, Fujian Province, China. hjy999@126.com
authors.forename: Wei-Zhu
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jing-Yao
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Qu-Bin
authors.initials: QB
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Quan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008872:Microwaves / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed