[Cryosurgery for primary hepatic cancer of 87 patients]

From november 1973 to June 1991, cryosurgery with liquid nitrogen was performed on 87 patients with primary liver cancer (PLC). Of these, 27 patients was of stage I (31.0%), 52 in stage II (59.8%), and 8 stage III (9.2%). There were 30 patients with PLC of < or = 5 cm (34.5%). Liver cirrhosis was found in 73 patients (83.9%). In the beginning, plate-like cryoprobes and thermocouples were used to monitor the frozen area. Later on we designed single- and multiple-needle cryoprobes for freezing tumors deeply into the hepatic parenchyma and intraoperative ultrasound was used to monitor hepatic cryolesions. The 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year survival rates were 60.5%, 32.0%, and 20.2%, respectively. Among the 30 patients with PLC of < or = 5 cm, the 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year survival rates were 92.6%, 66.6%, and 50.8%, respectively. There were no operative mortality and complications such as rupture of the tumor, delayed bleeding, and bile leakage. These results indicate that cryosurgery is a safe and effective local treatment for unresectable PLC.