Surgical management of large hepatocellular carcinomas: criteria for curative hepatectomy

This study was designed to determine the criteria for curative resection in hepatectomy for large hepatocellular carcinoma. The extent of resection was closely related to recurrence rate, and complete removal of the involved segments was found to be essential for curative hepatectomy. Patients with satellite nodules had a high incidence of recurrence; in fact, carcinoma recurred in all patients, with satellite nodules scattered through more than one segment, despite whole tumor removal. However, curative resection could be achieved in patients with portal involvement confined to the second portal branches, when the tumor, including tumor thrombi, was removed en bloc. On the basis of these results, we define complete en bloc removal of the involved segments, including portal involvements, as curative resection, even though curative hepatectomy is not attainable in patients with satellite nodules in more than one segment and/or tumor thrombi in the first branches or truncus of the portal vein.