Treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: A single-center experience

Purpose: The comparative efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was investigated. Methods: Two hundred and sixty consecutive patients were retrospectively analyzed: 156 had received between one and six chemoembolization sessions at 3-month intervals, 33 had had PEI, and the remaining 71 patients refused any treatment. The follow-up ranged from 3 to 36 months. Survival rates were statistically analyzed by life-table analysis. Results: Patients' survival was affected by the number of nodules and by the Child's and Okuda's classes; no relationship was found between survival rates and the histologic grade or vascular supply of the tumor. In the case of a single lesion of Okuda's class I, TACE was more effective than PEI. In multifocal HCC, TACE was better than no treatment in Okuda's class I and Child's class A. Conclusion: We suggest TACE as the treatment of choice in Child A or Okuda I patients with multifocal HCCs; it seems of little help in Child B-C or Okuda II-III patients.