TREATMENT AND OUTCOME FOR UNRESECTABLE HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA

A total of 103 patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated in the Second Department of Surgery, Nagasaki University Hospital from September 1969 to December 1987 were reviewed. Unilateral ligation of the hepatic artery was done on 9 patients, unilateral ligation of the portal vein branch on 3, catheterization into the hepatic artery for infusion of anticancer drugs on 16, transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) on 23 and other treatment with or without systemic chemotherapy on 52. The one, two or three year cumulative survival rate of the total cases was 14%, 9% or 4% respectively. The outcome of the 23 patients treated with TAE was better than that of the other patients. Macroscopic stage classification and clinical stage classification reflected the prognosis of the disease. However, the factors with or without hepatitis B-antigen, liver cirrhosis or high levels of serum AFP before the treatment did not influence the prognosis. Recently, we have done a combination therapy with TAE, tumor reduction surgery and infusion therapy via both hepatic artery and portal vein on 4 patients with unresectable HCC. The average survival period of these patients were better than that of other patients, but not significantly.