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Updated: Nov 21, 2025
Application of the En Bloc Concept Combined with Anatomic Resection in Laparoscopic Hepatectomy
Published on: March 10, 2023
Successful hepatic resection for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma after lenvatinib treatment: A case report
Hideki Yokoo1, Hiroyuki Takahashi2, Masahiro Hagiwara2
1Division of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery and Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa 078-8510, Hokkaido, Japan. hidekiyokoo@asahikawa-med.ac.jp.
Background:
Lenvatinib has been shown to be noninferior to sorafenib regarding prognosis and recurrence rate in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have not received prior systemic chemotherapy. In patients treated with lenvatinib, 40% of cases achieved sufficient tumor reduction to make potential surgery possible. However, the outcomes of such surgery are unknown. We report a successful case of hepatic resection for recurrent HCC after lenvatinib treatment.
Case Summary:
A 69-year-old man underwent right anterior sectionectomy for HCC in segment 8 of the liver. Ten months later, he was found to have an intrahepatic HCC recurrence that grew rapidly to 10 cm in diameter with sternal bone metastases. After confirming partial response to lenvatinib administration for 2 mo, a second hepatectomy was performed. Pathological examination showed that 80% of the tumor was necrotic. The patient did not develop any adverse effects under lenvatinib treatment. He was discharged at 25 d after surgery. Radiation therapy for bone metastases continued to be given under lenvatinib, and the patient has remained alive for 1 year after the second hepatectomy.
Conclusion:
The prognosis of patients with recurrent HCC may be improved by liver resection combined with prior lenvatinib therapy.
