Hepatocellular carcinoma--a case series of 104 patients

The records of one hundred and four patients with confirmed hepatocellular carcinoma seen over a two year period at the National University Hospital were analysed to elucidate the clinical features of our local patients and to assess their response to various therapeutic modalities. Chinese males were over-represented with a peak frequency in the sixth to eighth decade of life. Seventy-five percent of the patients were HBsAg positive and at least 88% had evidence of previous Hepatitis B infection. Ninety-one percent were symptomatic at presentation with pain being the most common symptom. Hepatomegaly with features of cirrhosis were the main physical findings. Seventy percent of the patients presented within three months after the onset of symptoms. The majority of patients had stage II or III disease at diagnosis. Twenty percent of patients had normal alpha-fetoprotein levels. Chemotherapy did not appear to show a survival benefit. Curative surgical resection was feasible in about 10% of patients and it remains the only chance for long term survival. There is an urgent need to identify more effective drugs or other modalities to treat this common and rapidly fatal malignancy. Identification of high risk patients should prompt screening with both serum alpha-fetoprotein and ultrasonography of the liver.