Transcatheter hepatic arterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma invading the portal veins: therapeutic effects and prognostic factors

• Published in: European journal of radiology 2004-07, Vol.51 (1), p.12-18
• Main Authors: Uraki, Junji, Yamakado, Koichiro, Nakatsuka, Atsuhiro, Takeda, Kan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - administration & dosage; Biological and medical sciences; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - diagnostic imaging; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - pathology; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - therapy; Chemoembolization; Chi-Square Distribution; Female; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Iodized Oil - administration & dosage; Liver Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Liver Neoplasms - pathology; Liver Neoplasms - therapy; Liver. Biliary tract. Portal circulation. Exocrine pancreas; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Portal vein; Portal Vein - pathology; Prognosis; Proportional Hazards Models; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Retrospective Studies; Survival Analysis; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Treatment Outcome; Tumors
• ISSN: 0720-048X; 1872-7727
• DOI: 10.1016/S0720-048X(03)00219-5

Purpose: This retrospective study was undertaken to evaluate the therapeutic effects of transcatheter hepatic arterial chemoembolization on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) invading the portal veins and to identify prognostic factors. Materials and methods: Sixty-one patients underwent chemoembolization. The HCC had invaded the main portal vein in 23 patients, a first-order branch in 25 patients and a second-order branch in 13 patients. The hepatic arteries feeding the tumors were embolized with gelatin sponge after a mixture of iodized oil and anticancer drugs was injected via these vessels. Tumor response was evaluated by measuring tumor sizes on CT images. A reduction in maximum diameter of 25% or more was considered to indicate response to chemoembolization. Significant prognostic factors were identified by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Tumor size was reduced by 25% or more in 26 patients (43%). The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 42, 11 and 3%, respectively, with mean survival of 15 months in all patients. In the univariate analysis, the following six variables were significantly associated with prognosis: (i) tumor response; (ii) ascites; (iii) accumulation of iodized oil in tumor thrombi; (iv) in main tumors; (v) Okuda classification; and (vi) tumor size. In the multivariate analysis, the first three of these factors showed significantly independent values for patient prognosis. Conclusion: Chemoembolization appears to be an effective treatment for HCCs invading the portal venous system. The prognostic factors identified here are expected to be helpful in classifying patients with HCCs invading the portal veins and should serve as useful guidelines for chemoembolization in clinical practice.