Therapeutic effect of postoperative transarterial chemoembolization and portal vein chemotherapy on primary liver cancer with portal vein tumor thrombus

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of postoperative transarterial chemo-embolization (TACE) and portal vein chemotherapy (PVC) on primary liver cancer with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT). Methods The clinical data of 85 patients with primary liver cancer with PVTT treated in our hospital from January 2000 to December 2004 were retrospectively analyzed. Of the 85 patients, 64 received mere TACE after operation (group A) and the other 21 underwent TACE and PVC postoperatively (group B). The 1-, 2- and 3-year postoperative recurrent and survival rates were compared between the 2 groups. Results The 1-, 2- and 3-year recurrent rates were 56.3%, 75.0% and 85.9% in group A and 28.6%, 61.9% and 81.0% in group B, respectively. Group B showed significantly lower 1-year postoperative recurrent rate as compared with group A (P<0.05). The 1-, 2- and 3-year survival rates were markedly higher in group B than in group A (81.0% vs 53.1%, 61.9% vs43.8%, 38.1% vs31.3%, P<0.05). Conclusion Postoperative TACE in com-bination with PVC may degrade short-term postoperative recurrent rate for the primary liver cancer with PVTT and improve the outcome in the near future. Key words: Carcinoma,hepatocellular; Thrombus; Portal vein; Hepatectomy; Drug therapy; Combination