2 LONG-TERM SURVIVORS AFTER MICROWAVE COAGULATION THERAPY FOR HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA - A CASE-REPORT

We present two long-term survivors who underwent microwave coagulation therapy (MCT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). One patient was a 5 5-yr-old man, having a solitary HCC of 25 mm in, diameter associated w ith advanced liver cirrhosis. He underwent MCT instead of hepatic rese ction, because he developed bleeding tendency during surgery. The othe r patient was a 78-yr-old woman having a 7 cm tumor in segment II and a 15 mm satellite lesion in segment IV. Because manipulation of the Le ft hepatic lobe caused prolonged hypotension, only the main tumor was resected. The satellite lesion was treated with MCT. In both cases, tu mors and surrounding liver parenchyma were widely coagulated Postopera tive courses were uneventful. The coagulated area shrank subsequently after surgery. Both patients are alive 39 and 55 months after MCT with out tumor recurrence. This report proves that MCT is a curative treatm ent and an alternative to hepatic resection in selected patients with HCCs.