THE PROGNOSIS OF PATIENTS WITH HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA OF MULTICENTRIC ORIGIN

Background/Aims: The characteristics of patients with multicentric hep atocellular carcinoma (HCC) differ from those of patients with intrahe patic metastatic HCC. However, there are few reports regarding the lon g-term results in patients with HCC of multicentric occurrence. The pu rpose of this study was to clarify the prognosis of a group of patient s with multicentric HCCs. Materials and Methods: We evaluated the outc ome in 28 patients with multiple hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) sugges tive of multicentric occurrence, all of whom underwent hepatic resecti on. The disease-free survival, recurrence pattern and survival were an alyzed in the two subgroups of 12 patients with single advanced HCC (A dHCC) nodule and an early HCC (eHCC) or early advanced HCC (eAdHCC) no dule [Group A] and 16 patients with two AdHCC lesions [Group B]. These data were also compared with those of 58 patients with solitary AdHCC [Group C]. Results: Both the disease-free survival and survival perio ds for Groups A and C were significantly longer than those for Group B , while no significant difference was seen between Group A and C. No s ignificant differences among the three groups were recognized in the i ncidence of various types or recurrence pattern. Conclusions: The long -term results in patients with multicentric HCC apparently vary depend ing on the pathological condition at the time of operation. Among pati ents with multicentric HCC, those with AdHCC combined with an eHCC or eAdHCC are likely to show improved prognosis as a result of hepatic re section.