Adjuvant Iodine (131) Lipiodol after Resection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background. Survival after liver resection for HCC is compromised by a high rate of intrahepatic recurrence. Adjuvant treatment with a single, postoperative dose of intra-arterial I(131) lipiodol has shown promise, as a means of prolonging disease-free survival (DFS). Methodology. DFS and overall survival (OS) after a single dose of postoperative I(131) lipiodol were compared to liver resection alone, for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Data were collected retrospectively for patients who had a curative resection for HCC between December 1993 and September 2011. Seventy-two patients were given I(131) lipiodol after surgery and 70 patients had surgery alone. Results. The DFS at 1, 3, and 5 years was 72%, 43%, and 26% in the surgery group and 70%, 39%, and 29% in the adjuvant I(131) lipiodol group (p = 0.75). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS was 83%, 64%, and 52% in the surgery group and 96%, 72%, and 61% in the adjuvant I(131) lipiodol group (p = 0.16). Conclusion. This retrospective study has found no significant benefit to survival, after adjuvant treatment with I(131) lipiodol.