[Efficacy of transarterial embolization combined with percutaneous ethanol injection therapy for recurrent...

One hundred and eighty-nine patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) underwent hepatectomy since 1987 to 1992 in our institute. Recurrences were detected on residual liver in 84 patients up to December 1993. Sixty-seven of 84 patients were treated with re-resection (group-O, n = 11), transarterial embolization (TAE) combined with percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT) (group-TP, n = 13), TAE alone (group-T, n = 34) and intraarterial chemotherapy (group-IA, n = 9). Among these 67 cases, the efficacy of treatment for recurrences was investigated. There was no significant difference in age, positive ratio of hepatitis B virus, ICG R15 and percentage of underlying liver cirrhosis among the 4 groups. However, the frequency of patients with 2 nodules or less, was significantly higher in group-O than in other groups. Cumulative 1-, 2- and 3-year survival rates (%) were 88.9, 64.8 and 51.9 in group-O, 92.1, 55.4 and 55.4 in group-TP, 70.9, 49.6 and 31.0 in group-T, and 16.9, 0 and 0 in group-IA, respectively. The survival rate after recurrences in group-TP was higher than in group-IA and group-T, and almost equivalent to that of group-O. Either re-resection or TAE combined with PEIT might assure- a favorable prognosis in patients with recurrent HCC.