Techniques and therapies for primary and metastatic liver cancer

Curr Probl Cancer. 1977 Dec;2(6):1-48. doi: 10.1016/s0147-0272(77)80005-6.

Abstract

In summary, of the 460 patients of primary carcinoma of the liver admitted to the University Surgical Unit at the Queen Mary Hospital over a period of 12 years, more than 40% could not be treated, and only 91 of the patients were candidates for curative resection. The cure rate is very small; a 1- to 2-year survival was obtained in 46% of 15 resections. From 1964 to 1969, out of 22 patients with resections, 3 are still alive more than 5 year after the operation. Lin30 reported a 19.1% 5-year survival. When the hepatoma has ruptured and bleeding takes place, surgical treatment is obligatory to control the hemorrhage. Ninety-eight patients underwent a clinical trial of 5 categories: hepatic dearterialization, hepatic arterial cannulation and infusion of 5-FU, hepatic arterial ligation and portal venous infusion of 5-FU, radiotherapy and no treatment. The results show that the advantage of each form of treatment when compared with no treatment is marginal. Thus a gloomy picture of primary hepatoma is held. Since the operative mortality of hepatic resection for a solitary secondary carcinoma of the liver is negligible, it should be done in each instance because a long-term survival may be possible. This is especially true with primary carcinoma of the colon.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / surgery
  • Female
  • Hepatectomy / methods
  • Humans
  • Liver / anatomy & histology
  • Liver Neoplasms / complications
  • Liver Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Liver Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Liver Transplantation
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Palliative Care
  • Postoperative Complications / etiology
  • Rupture, Spontaneous / surgery
  • Transplantation, Homologous