Radiofrequency ablation as a palliative treatment of primary liver sarcoma in an inoperable patient with hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis.
BACKGROUND
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) can be performed percutaneously, by laparotomy, or by laparoscopy. Recent advances in laparoscopic ultrasound (LUS) have improved the accuracy in detecting intrahepatic nodules. Primary liver sarcomas in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection with or without cirrhosis are extremely rare and the prognosis is poor.


METHODS
A 58-year-old man with a 5-year history of HCV-related Child-Pugh B cirrhosis was admitted with abdominal fullness, weight loss and lower-extremity edema lasting for 1 month. One mass lesion was measured as 4 cm in the segments 2 and 3 of the liver by abdominal computed tomography. As the patient's condition did not permit operation, he received LUS-guided RFA. After the treatment, the survival of this patient exceeded 48 months.


RESULTS
Treatment of primary liver sarcomas arising in HCV infection with or without cirrhosis is primarily limited to surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Liver transplantation is not suggested for either primary or metastatic liver sarcoma. The described inoperable case is the only case report about a successful RFA treatment of a solitary liver sarcoma.


CONCLUSIONS
We suggest that RFA can be considered as a choice of palliative treatment for primary liver sarcoma in inoperable patients with HCV-related cirrhosis.
Chen
Jia-Hong
JH
Department of Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Chang
Ping-Ying
PY
Ho
Ching-Liang
CL
Chen
Peng-Jen
PJ
D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome