SURGICAL STRATEGY FOR LIVER MALIGNANCIES IN CHILDREN

The therapeutic results of two groups of children with liver tumours w ere compared: group 1 [29 hepatoblastomas (HE) and five liver carcinom as (HCC)] were operated before 1987, and group 2 (88 HE and 16 HCC) we re treated according to the studies HE 89 and HE 94 of the GPOH from 1 988 onwards. Resection rates for HE were 81% (group 1) and 93% (group 2), with tumour-free survival rates of 3810 and 77%, respectively: ana tomic liver resections were more often radical than atypical tumour re sections. Resections of lung metastases and liver transplantations inc reased tumour-free survival. In HCC therapeutic results were equally p oor (25% cure). Thus in HE combined chemotherapy and surgery is highly effective, but HCCs are cured only by radical resections.