Small liver cancer

We report eight cirrhotic patients with liver cancer of less than 2 cm in diameter, and who were successfully treated by surgery. The sensitivities of diagnostic procedures for small lesions showed that alpha-feto-protein (AFP) was 75 per cent, radionuclide scanning 25 per cent, CT 33 per cent, ultrasonography 40 per cent and angiography 88 per cent. Serial measurement of AFP appears to be the most helpful for detection of hepatocellular carcinoma at the early stage, particularly in cirrhotic patients. Although hepatic imagings are of limited value for small hepatic tumors, those tools are often useful as a back-up for the routine tests but not for initial procedures. It should also be kept in mind that hepatic arteriography performed in the high risk group often leads to detection of small cancers. In cirrhotic patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma, surgical resection should be done, providing the clinical status and hepatocellular reserve are adequate.