1993 Volume 26 Issue 7 Pages 2065-2068
Between January 1985 and March 1992, 193 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) were resected in our institute. Four patients (2.0%) with HCC originating from the caudate lobe (CL) were studied. Their mean age was 59.4±6.4 years. All of them were male. No differences were observed between CL and those of the other segments in the frequency of hepatitis-B antigen, liver cirrhosis, serum a-fetoprotein, Edmondson's classification, macroscopic stage of tumor or intrahepatic metastasis. All cases of HCC in CL were associated with tumor thrombus in the portal vein, while 26.9%-39.1% of HCC in other segments were associated. Nevertheless, the cumulative 5-year survival rate of HCC in CL was 33%, which was almost equal to HCC of other segments. The higher incidence of tumor thrombus of the portal vein in CL does not decrease the prognosis of HCC in the caudate lobe treated by hepatectomy.
