The effect of postoperative TACE on prognosis of HCC with microscopic venous invasion
Li Ke-Wei1, Wen Tian-Fu, Li Xi
1Division of Liver Transplantation, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Sichuan Province, China.
Background/Aims:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of postoperative adjuvant transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with microscopic venous invasion.
Methodology:
Data from 76 patients with HCC who underwent hepatectomy with or without postoperative adjuvant TACE between July 2005 and August 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. Kaplan-Meier method was used to compare survival between the groups and prognostic factors were evaluated by Cox proportional hazard model.
Results:
The 1-, 3- and 5-year disease- free survival rates were 76.3%, 44.5% and 31.8%, respectively, for the adjuvant TACE group (35 patients) and 60.1%, 39.3% and 21.5%, respectively, for the control group (41 patients). The 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were 88.6%, 67.2% and 42.3%, respectively, for the TACE group and 77.5%, 58.0% and 40.5%, respectively, for the control group. Although improving trends of both disease-free survival and overall survival were observed in adjuvant TACE group, there was no significant difference between the two groups (p>0.05). Cox regression analysis revealed that tumor size and differentiation were significant independent prognostic factors.
Conclusions:
Postoperative adjuvant TACE may improve 1, 3 and 5 year disease-free and overall survival rates of HCC patients with microscopic venous invasion but no statistical significance was found. It can be used as a preventative treatment but not a routine procedure for such patients.