Pathological Study of Excised Specimens form Resectable Large Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization

Abstract

To investigate pathological changes in surgically excised specimens from resectable large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE ) and their significance. From January 2002 to January 2003, 83 patients with resectable large HCC were randomized into two groups: group A, 36 patients who underwent preoperative TACE, and group B, 47 patients who underwent one-stage operation without TACE. Hepatectomy was performed in 31 patients of group A (two-stage operation group) and 47 patients of group B (one-stage operation group). The remaining 5 patients in group A were not operable. The diagnosis of HCC was pathologically confirmed in all 78 patients after hepatectomy. Pathological changes of the excised specimens between the two groups were compared, including main tumors, capsular containment, daughter nodules, tumor thrombi and liver cirrhosis. There were no significant differences in the incidence of daughter nodules, portal vein tumor thrombi (PVTT) and extrahepatic metastasis between the two groups, but the area of main tumor necrosis was more extensive and the rate of encapsulation was higher in two-stage operation group than those in one-stage operation group. No significant shrinkage in the average tumor size was seen in two-stage operation group, where daughter nodules and PVTT necrosis were less, and liver cirrhosis was more serious. Preoperative TACE for resectable large HCC should be used on the basis of strict selection because it does not provide complete tumor necrosis and may result in delayed surgery in some cases.