Abstract
Objective
To investigate technical factors affecting local tumor control of small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated by superselective conventional transarterial chemoembolization (cTACE) using lipiodol and to compare prognoses between groups with and without these factors.
Materials and Methods
Sixty-three consecutive patients with 73 HCC nodules (diameter, 1–3 cm) treated by cTACE were retrospectively analyzed. A positive or a negative 3D-safety margin was defined as a ≥ 1-mm area of lipiodol accumulation or as a diameter of lipiodol accumulation < 1 mm in liver parenchyma surrounding the tumor using plain CT images obtained within a week after TACE. Uni- and multivariate analyses were performed to identify technical factors determining local tumor control rate. Subgroup analysis of survival rates in treatment-naïve patients was performed according to the detected factors.
Results
In univariate analyses, three-dimensional (3D)-safety margin and portal vein visualization were associated with local tumor control rates. In multivariate analysis, only positive 3D-safety margin remained a significant contributor (p = 0.001). Two-year cumulative local disease-free survival rates with positive and negative 3D-safety margin were 82.8% and 19.3%, respectively (p = 0.001). In subgroup survival analysis of the 36 newly diagnosed patients, the 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year cumulative OS rates for patients with and without positive margins were 100% versus 100%, 96.4% versus 75.0%, 81.8% versus 62.5%, 74.4% versus 41.7%, and 47.0% versus 0%, respectively (median survival time; 57.6 months vs. 37.1, p = 0.047).
Conclusion
Obtaining a 3D-safety margin can suppress local tumor recurrence and prolong survival in superselective cTACE for small HCC.
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Abbreviations
- HCC:
-
Hepatocellular carcinoma
- cTACE:
-
Conventional transarterial chemoembolization
- TACE:
-
Transarterial chemoembolization
- RFA:
-
Radiofrequency ablation
- 3D:
-
Three dimensional
- CT:
-
Computed tomography
- MRI:
-
Magnetic resonance imaging
- MPR:
-
Multi-planar reconstruction
- DFS:
-
Local disease-free survival
- OS:
-
Overall survival
- AST:
-
Aspartate aminotransferase
- ALT:
-
Alanine aminotransferase
- T-Bil:
-
Total bilirubin
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The scientific guarantor of this publication is Prof. Kichikawa in Nara Medical University. The authors of this manuscript declare no relationships with any companies, whose products or services may be related to the subject matter of the article. The authors state that this work has not received any funding. No complex statistical methods were necessary for this paper. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained. Written informed consent was obtained from all patients in this study. Methodology: This paper is retrospective study at single institution. UMIN ID; R000029341.
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Kattipatanapong, T., Nishiofuku, H., Tanaka, T. et al. Improved Local Tumor Control and Survival Rates by Obtaining a 3D-Safety Margin in Superselective Transarterial Chemoembolization for Small Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 43, 423–433 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00270-019-02365-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00270-019-02365-9