Are the results of surgical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma poor if the tumor has spontaneously ruptured?

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to clarify whether the results of surgical treatment of ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are poorer than the results of surgical treatment of non‐ruptured HCC. Methods: Out of a total of 224 HCC patients, the 6 patients with ruptured HCC were compared with 15 patients with non‐ruptured HCC based on TNM stage IVA and having a Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (CLIP) score of 1 or 2. Results: There were no significant differences in clinical and pathological features between the two groups. The 1‐year and 3‐year overall survival rates were 69.3% and 21.2%, respectively, in the ruptured HCC group and 51.3% and 20.5%, respectively, in the non‐ruptured HCC group. The 1‐year and 3‐year disease‐free survival rates were 33.0% and 0%, respectively, in the ruptured HCC group and 38.9% and 15.6%, respectively, in the non‐ruptured HCC group. The differences in survival rates between these two groups did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: Hepatic resection as definitive treatment after recovery from the initial insult of the rupture of HCC yields results similar to those obtained by surgical treatment of non‐ruptured HCC at the same tumor stage and with the same degree of liver damage.