Abstract
Until December, 1997, 654 HCC patients received hepatic resection (A), 109 had percutaneous transhepatic ethanol injection therapy (PEIT)(B), and 701 had transcatheter arterial embolization therapy (TAE)(C). The long-term outcomes of the patients who received the therapies were compared at the same tumor and clinical stages. Among the stage I HCC patiets with clinical stage I, the 5-and 10-year survivals of A were 76% and 50%, and those of B were 46%, 0%, respectively (A to B; NS). In stage I HCC patients with clinical stage II, the 5- and 10-year survivals of A were 61%, 10%, those of B were 47%, 35%, and those of C, 27%, 0%, respectively (A to C, B to C; p<0. 05, A to B; NS). Of stage II painets, the 5- and 10-year survivals were 57%, 33% in A, 0%, 0%in B, 19%, 0% in C (A to B, C; p<0.0001). In stage III patients with both clinical stages, although the 5-year survival of A was significantly better B, no significant differences were recognized about 10-year survivals. In the comparison of the 5-year survivals of the stage IV patients who had 3 or less tumors with less than 3cm in size, the 5-year survivals were 53% in A, 66% in B, 26% in C, resepectively (A to B to C; NS). Hepatic resection showed the better outcome than the other treatment groups in stage I, II and III patients with relatively good liver function. The patients in stage II are the most suitable for hepatic resection. In the stage IV patients with small and a few HCCs, PEIT may be recommended as the first choice therapy.
