Abstract
Early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has become easier with recent advances in imaging diagnosis, but the tumor is frequently unresectable due to underlying advanced liver cirrhosis. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic effect of percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT) and transarterial chemoembolization therapy (TACE) for small liver cancers measuring 3 cm or less in diameter and discussed the treatment of choice for unresectable cases. The tumors were divided into two groups on the basis of size: 1.5 cm or less (group A) and 1.6–3 cm in diameter (group B). In group A, the estimated 1- and 3-year survival rates were both 82% for a total of 19 cases. The survival value determined for 10 patients treated with PEIT was slightly higher than that found for 9 patients treated with TACE. In group B, the overall 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival values for a total of 56 patients were estimated at 83%, 60%, and 35%, respectively. The survial rates for 41 patients treated with TACE were 82%, 53%, and 28% at 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively. PEIT was performed on only 6 patients, whose survival rate was equivalent to that of a surgical resection group. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates for 9 patients who underwent surgical resection were estimated to be 100%, 85%, and 68%, respectively. Based on these results, PEIT seems to be the treatment of first choice for patients with small liver cancers measuring less than 1.5 cm in diameter if the tumor is thought to be unresectable because of associated severe liver cirrhosis. On the other hand, tumors measuring 1.6–3 cm in diameter must first be treated with TACE using a long-acting Lipiodol-carcinostatic suspension, even if resectable. In addition to the tumor size, dynamic CT is also useful for prospective decision of the therapeutic strategy. If the mass is demonstrated to be a hypervascular lesion by dynamic CT, TACE must be selected as the treatment of first choice, even for small lesions measuring 1.5 cm or less in diameter.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arai K, Matsui O, Takashima T (1989) Effects and limits of hepatic arterial embolization for small hepatocellular carcinoma (3 cm or less). Acta Hepatol Jpn 30: 335
Dusheiko GM, Hobbs KEF, Dick R, Burroughs AK (1992) Treatment of small hepatocellular carcinoma. Lancet 340: 285
Ebara M, Ohto M, Sugiura N, Kita K, Yoshikawa M, Okuda K, Kondo F, Kondo Y (1990) Percutaneous ethanol injection for the treatment of small hepatocellular carcinoma: study of 95 patients. Gastroenterol Hepatol 5: 616
Horiguchi Y, Itoh M, Takagawa H, Imai H, Kamei A, Sekoguchi B, Nagamura Y (1992) Assessment of chemoembolization therapy for primary liver cancer using a stabilized Adriamycin-Lipiodol suspension. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 31 [Suppl I]: S 60
Kawarada Y, Imai T, Iwata M, Yokoi H, Noguchi T, Mizumoto R (1992) Significance of multidisciplinary therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 31 [Suppl I]: S 13
Kumada T, Nakano S, Takeda I, Sugiyama K, Osada T, Kiriyama S, Yamada M, Okabe H (1992) Treatment of small hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 31 [Suppl I]: S 25
Shiina S, Tagawa K, Unuma T, Takanashi R, Yoshiura K, Komatsu Y, Hata Y, Niwa Y, Shiratori Y, Terano A, Sugimoto T (1991) Percutaneous ethanol injection therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer 68: 1524
Takayasu K, Shima Y, Muramatsu Y, Moriyama N, Yamada T, Makuuchi M, Hasegawa H, Hirohashi S (1987) Hepatocellular carcinoma: treatment with intraarterial iodozed oil with and without chemotherapeutic agents. Radiology 163: 345
Yamasaki S, Hasegawa H, Makuuchi M, Takayama T, Kosuge T, Shimada K (1991) Choice of treatment for small hepatocellular carcinoma: hepatectomy, embolization or ethanol injection. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 6: 408
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Horiguchi, Y., Sekoguchi, B., Imai, H. et al. Treatment of choice for unresectable small liver cancer: percutaneous ethanol injection therapy or transarterial chemoembolization therapy. Cancer Chemother. Pharmacol. 33 (Suppl 1), S111–S114 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00686680
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00686680