[Hepatocarcinoma: analysis of 14 cases]

In Brazil, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not a common tumour. Virus B hepatitis and cirrhosis play an important role in the development of HCC. The authors described 14 cases of HCC registered in our service during the last 33 months. PURPOSE--Evaluate clinical and laboratory aspects of the hepatocarcinoma treated in our service. MATERIAL--Fourteen patients evaluated between 1990 and 1993 were described. Ten were men the median age was 53 years. RESULTS--The main symptoms were: abdominal pain, weight loss and jaundice. Among the fourteen patients, 42% percent were positive for HBsAg, 0.7% for anti HCV and 57% were cirrhotic. Eighty percent had an advanced disease and serum alphafeto-protein was elevated in 92%. The patients underwent different kinds of treatment. Systemic chemotherapy was started in 5 patients, however without any response. Surgery was done in three patients, one underwent partial resection of the tumour and in the others a total resection was carried out. CONCLUSION--The hepatocarcinoma is rare in our service, eighty percent had advanced disease and 42% were positive for HBsAg.