Local Treatment For Large Hepatocellular Carcinoma Combination Therapy with Percutaneous Microwave Coagulation Therapy and Percutaneous Ethanol Injection Therapy

Abstract

Ultrasonically guided percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT) following percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy (PMCT) was performed in 7 patients with large (5-8 cm in diameter) nodular-type hepatocellular carcinoma in whom neither surgery nor transcatheter arterial embolization was carried out. The average extent of decrease in the main tumor 3 months after treatment was 40%. Two patients have died due to advanced liver cirrhosis, and the survival period of all patients to date ranges from 6 months to 14 months. Recurrence was detected in three patients, but recurrence at the treated site has not been observed. A autopsy examination in one patient revealed that the treated main tumor (7 cm in diameter) including the area of capsular invasion showed complete necrosis. PMCT decreased the required frequency of and the amount of ethanol used in PEIT. On the basis of these findings we concluded that combination therapy is useful in the local treatment for large HCC. © 1992, The Japan Society of Hepatology. All rights reserved.