Study of small hepatocellular carcinomas
Shimoyama, T.; Shimizu, T.; Takahira, R.; Kawaguchi, A.; Miyashita, K.; Kusano, H.; Ishikawa, H.; Satoh, T.; Nakagoe, T.; Hirano, T.
Gan no Rinsho. Japan Journal of Cancer Clinics 35(8): 899-904
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-4949 PMID: 2473226 Document Number: 328114
In order to evaluate the factors affecting patient survival, 32 patients with a solitary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) smaller than 5 cm have been studied. Most patients were diagnosed as having a HCC during the periodic follow-up examinations for their underlying liver disease. For HCCs smaller than 2 cm, ultrasonography demonstrated the highest detection rate compared with CT and angiography. In patients with tumors larger than 2 cm, a portal vein thrombus and/or satellite tumors were frequently recognized, resulting in a lower patient survival rate when compared to those with a smaller HCC. Results have indicated that early detection of such tumors without a portal vein thrombus and/or a satellite tumor, and an adequate hepatic resection, such as segmentectomy or subsegmentectomy, are most important factors HCC patient survival.