T. Livraghi et al., HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA AND CIRRHOSIS IN 146 PATIENTS - LONG-TERM RESULTS OF PERCUTANEOUS ETHANOL INJECTION, Radiology, 197(1), 1995, pp. 101-108
PURPOSE: To define indications for percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI
) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cirrhosis. MATER
IALS AND METHODS: Survival rates were determined in 746 patients who h
ad undergone PEI (567 men, 179 women; mean age, 64.3 years; mean follo
w-up, 36 months). RESULTS: In patients with Child A (n = 293), B (n =
149), or C (n = 20) cirrhosis and single HCCs 5 cm or smaller, the 3-5
-year survival rate was 47%-79%, 29%-63%, and 0%-12%, respectively. In
patients with Child A cirrhosis, it was 36%-68% for multiple HCCs (n
= 121), 30%-53% for single HCCs larger than 5 cm (n = 28), and 0%-16%
for advanced HCC (n = 16). Treatment was associated with a 1.7% rate o
f severe complications and a 0.1% mortality rate. CONCLUSION: PEI prov
ed safe, effective, and repeatable and had a low cost. Survival after
PEI was comparable to that after surgery, probably because of a balanc
ing between greater radicality of surgery and absence of early mortali
ty and liver damage of PEI.