Hepatocellular carcinoma: combined hepatic, arterial, and portal venous embolization

Transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) is an effective means of treating primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, in many cases of HCC the tumor recurs after treatment. In an attempt to obtain complete tumor necrosis, the authors studied the clinical and histologic effect of simultaneous embolization of both the hepatic artery and portal vein in ten patients with HCC. In those cases in which combined embolization caused infarction, tumor cells in the main tumor, tumor cells that had invaded the tumor capsule, and small intrahepatic metastases had become totally necrotic following treatment. No viable tumor cells were detected in four patients who subsequently underwent operations; nor were viable tumor cells present in one other patient who later died as a result of a perforated duodenal ulcer. Five patients who did not subsequently undergo operations were still free of the disease 2-17 months after combined arterial and portal embolization. The impact of combined embolization on liver function was nearly the same as that produced when TAE was performed alone. Combined embolization may be a viable alternative to hepatectomy for the treatment of HCC.