FEASIBILITY AND OUTCOME OF SURGICAL RESECTION OF HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA

Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma is the fifth most common tumor world-wide. Two- thirds of hepatocellular carcinoma tumors are first diagnosed at advanced stages with consequent dismal prognosis. There are different treatment algorithms. Aim: of this study was to assess the feasibility and outcome of resection of hepatocellular carcinoma tumors. Methods: This study included 215 consecutive patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Triphasic CT, Child s classification and intraoperative ultrasonography were used to assess resectability. Resection was done for solitary tumors in Child A or B patients preserving at least 50% of total liver volume. Results: The median age was 58 years. There were 146 males (67.9 %) and 69 females (32.1%). Resection was feasible for 36 (16.7%) patients. Postoperative complications occurred in 8 (22.2%) patients with 1-, 2- and 3- year survival rates 69.4%, 47.2% and 41.6% respectively. Conclusions: Feasibility of hepatic resection was limited for 16.7% patients. By meticulous assessment, resection could be the best treatment for many tumors larger than 5 cm in diameter. Non-anatomical resection was valuable to allow resection of selected tumors with preservation of sufficient liver tissue. There is controversy in feasibility of surgery among algorithms