MULTIMODAL TREATMENT OF STAGE IVA HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA

Background/Aims: The effectiveness of multimodal therapy for Stage IVa hepatocellular carcinoma was investigated. Material and Methods: Betw een 1982 and 1994, 40 patients with primary Stage IVa tumors were trea ted in our clinical unit. Results: The overall survival rate was 79.7% at 1 Year, 37.0% at 3 years, and 20.8% at 5 years. However, the most successful multimodal therapy, a combination of hepatectomy, embolizat ion, and ethanol injection, achieved significantly better results (92. 9% at 1 year, 59.6% at 3 years, and 47.7% at 5 years). This improved s urvival could still be obtained by multimodal therapy, even when surgi cal resection was incomplete. Conclusion: These results suggest that m ultimodal therapy including hepatectomy can be recommended for improvi ng the survival of patients with Stage IVa hepatocellular carcinoma.