Hepatocellular carcinoma surgery
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Hepatocellular carcinoma Microchapters |
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Differentiating Hepatocellular carcinoma from other Diseases |
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Hepatocellular carcinoma surgery On the Web |
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American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Hepatocellular carcinoma surgery |
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Risk calculators and risk factors for Hepatocellular carcinoma surgery |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
The feasibility of surgery depends on the stage of hepatocellular carcinoma at diagnosis.
Surgical options
Liver transplant
Liver transplantation to replace the liver with a cadaver liver or a live donor lobe. Historically, the survival rates after liver transplantation have been low (20%-36%). Recent improvement in the survival rates (44% to 78%) due to the adoption of Milan criteria at US transplantation centers. If the tumor disease has metastasized, the immuno-suppressant post-transplant drugs decrease the chance of survival.[1]
Surgical resection
If diagnosed early, surgical resection with a safety margin can be considered to remove a small or slowly growing tumors. This treatment offers the best prognosis for long-term survival. The 5 year over all survival rate for patients who undergo surgical resection is 27% to 70%[1]. Unfortunately, due to the severity of the tumor and poor liver functions, it's only possible in 10-15% of hepatocellular carcinoma cases. Resection in cirrhotic patients carries high morbidity and mortality rates. Medicinenet
Cryosurgery
Cryosurgery: Cryosurgery is a new technique that can destroy tumors in a variety of sites (brain, breast, kidney, prostate, liver). Cryosurgery is the destruction of abnormal tissue using sub-zero temperatures. The tumor is not removed and the destroyed cancer is left to be reabsorbed by the body. Initial results in properly selected patients with unresectable liver tumors are equivalent to those of resection. Cryosurgery involves the placement of a stainless steel probe into the center of the tumor. Liquid nitrogen is circulated through the end of this device. The tumor and a half inch margin of normal liver are frozen to -190°C for 15 minutes, which is lethal to all tissues. The area is thawed for 10 minutes and then re-frozen to -190°C for another 15 minutes. After the tumor has thawed, the probe is removed, bleeding is controlled, and the procedure is complete. The patient will spend the first post-operative night in the intensive care unit and typically is discharged in 3 - 5 days. Proper selection of patients and attention to detail in performing the cryosurgical procedure are mandatory in order to achieve good results and outcomes. Frequently, cryosurgery is used in conjunction with liver resection as some of the tumors are removed while others are treated with cryosurgery. Patients may also have insertion of a hepatic intra-arterial artery catheter for post-operative chemotherapy. As with liver resection, your surgeon should have experience with cryosurgical techniques in order to provide the best treatment possible.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 National Cancer Institute. Physician Data Query Database 2015.http://www.cancer.gov/types/liver/hp/adult-liver-treatment-pdq