Combination radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma with intraductal tumor thrombus: a case report

We report the successful treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) associated with an intraductal tumor thrombus in a 67-year-old male. Abdominal ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT) revealed intrahepatic biliary dilatation in the left hepatic lobe and an intraductal tumor thrombus. The main tumor lesion was not clearly visualized on abdominal US, dynamic CT, and hepatic angiography. We biopsied the intraductal tumor thrombus under US guidance. Histologically the biopsy specimen was a poorly differentiated HCC We thus diagnosed HCC with intraductal tumor thrombus. The total serum bilirubin level gradually rose to 3.1 mg/dl. This tumor was inoperable because of severe hepatic dysfunction. We chose to treat the patient with radiotherapy aimed only at the intraductal tumor thrombus because the main tumor was unclear. A percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) tube was inserted into the common bile duct beyond the tumor thrombus and the tube was dilated. Once total serum bilirubin had reached the normal range, a combination of external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) plus an intraluminal brachytherapy, 192Ir boost was administered. The intraductal tumor thrombus was found to have vanished and the PTBD tube was removed. After this treatment, transcatheter hepatic arterial embolization was performed at the point of tumor appearance. This patient had a relatively long survival, approximately 30 months, with no clinical evidence of recurrent disease and biliary drainage was not necessary.