Treatment of Small Liver Cancer in the Elderly--a Report of 52 Cases

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the method and efficacy of small liver cancer treatment in the elderly. Methods: Fifty-two cases of elderly small liver cancer patients were treated. Their age ranged from 70 to 82 years with a mean of 74.2. Of all the patients, 90% also had liver cirrhosis and 70% had concomitant chronic disorders of other organs. Fifteen subjects underwent surgery while the remaining 37 cases opted for non-surgical treatment. Results: No deaths occurred as a result of surgery and there were no severe complications after surgery. The 1-, 3- and 5- survival rates after surgery were 93.3%, 80.0% and 66.7%, respectively, and those for non-surgical group were 89.2%, 70.2% and 53.8%, respectively. Conclusion: Surgical resection is still the treatment of choice, but its indication should be strictly followed. Combination with other localized treatment methods may further improve treatment efficacy.