title: Portal vein embolization can prevent intrahepatic metastases to non-embolized liver.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the efficacy of portal vein embolization (PVE) against unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a comparative study using 17 patients with HCC determined to be unresectable and who received a combination of PVE and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) (PVE group) and 22 HCC patients with tumors in the unilateral lobe, which were treated only with repeated TACE (TACE group) from January 2000 to December 2008.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences in background factors except for gender between the two groups. The cumulative intrahepatic recurrence rates in the non-portal-embolized area (in the contralateral lobe for the TACE group) at 1 year and 3 years was 41.1% and 58.8% in the PVE group and 77.3% and 81.8% in the TACE group, respectively. The former was significantly lower (p<0.05). The cumulative overall survival rate at 1 year, 3 and 5 years was 88.2%, 38.2% and 38.2% in the PVE group, and 68.1%, 22.7% and 8.5% in the TACE group, respectively. The former was significantly higher (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although in patients with unresectable HCC, when HCC is localized in the portal-embolized area, PVE combined with TACE can prevent intrahepatic metastasis to the non-portal-embolized area and improve overall survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, NTT West Kyusyu Hospital, Kumamoto, Japan. okabe-km@s8.kcn-tv.ne.jp
authors.forename: Kazutoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okabe
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Beppu
authors.forename: Toshiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.forename: Hiromitsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Hirohisa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okabe
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Komori
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Horino
authors.forename: Shin-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: Takatoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishiko
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takamori
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamanaka
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Baba
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000556:secondary; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000098:blood supply / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D000075202:Contraindications; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome