Surgical treatment of primary liver carcinoma

Forty-five patients with primary liver carcinoma were treated between 1960 and 1975. Sixteen patients were less than 15 years of age. All patients underwent diagnostic laparotomy, while liver resection was performed in 16 (36%). Resectability was higher in children than in adults. Left lobectomy was performed in 8 patients, right lobectomy in 3, and an extended right lobectomy in 5 patients. One patient died postoperatively, i.e. mortality was 6%. Of the surviving 15 patients 4 died from metastatic tumor within 18 months after surgery. Patient survival at 2 years was 73%. The present material favors radical surgery of primary liver carcinoma whenever possible.