Five-year survival after transcatheter chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma

The 5-year cumulative survival rate of 443 patients who underwent transcatheter chemoembolization (TCE) for non-resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) before December 1986 was 8.0%, and 29 patients survived for 5 years or more. Of these 29 patients, 25 were men and 4 were women; their mean age was 63.9 years. Macroscopic classification showed lesions of the single nodular type in 16 cases, the multiple nodular type in 10 cases, and the massive type in 3 cases; 12 of the single nodular lesions measured 5 cm or less in size. The TNM classification showed lesions of stage I in 3 cases, stage II in 14 cases, stage III in 6 cases, and stage IV in 6 cases. Lesions classified as Child A were found in 23 patients, and they were thus much more common than Child B lesions (2 patients) and Child C lesions (1 patient). The response was analyzed in relation to the use of iodized oil (Lipiodol). It was used in 215 of the patients, and the 5-year cumulative survival rate of those patients was 12.9% (23 of them survived for 5 years or more). Lipiodol was not used in 228 patients, and they showed a 5-year cumulative survival rate of 3.4%, with 6 patients surviving for 5 years or more. The 6 patients with stage III disease and the 6 with stage IV disease received Lipiodol. TCE with Lipiodol thus contributed greatly in prolonging the survival of patients with HCC complicated by intrahepatic metastases or intraportal tumor thrombi.