Prophylactic chemolipiodolization for postoperative hepatoma patients.

Background/Aims: The efficacy of prophylactic chemolipiodolization following hepatic resection in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma was studied. Methodology: Forty-four of 67 consecutive patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent hepatectomy between 1980 and 1997 were divided into two groups: group A (n=21), in which prophylactic chemolipiodolization was performed during postoperative follow-up (2.4 times on average using a 39mg mean dose of epirubicin or doxorubicin); and group B (n=23), without prophylactic chemolipiodolization. The clinicopathological background and patient survival were compared retrospectively. Results: There were no differences in the clinicopathological background between the two groups. Multiple intrahepatic recurrence was frequently observed in group B (P<0.02). The recurrence-free survival rates in group A (54.4% and 31.1% at 3 and 5 years, respectively) were significantly higher than those in group B (15.7% and 7.9%, respectively). The survival rates of group A (95.2% and 80.4% at 3 and 5 years, respectively) were significantly higher than those in group B (40.1% and 22.9%, respectively). Conclusions: Our data suggest that postoperative prophylactic chemolipiodolization can be an effective treatment in reducing intrahepatic recurrence and may prolong survival for hepatocellular carcinoma patients following hepatic resection.