Results of liver resection for primary liver cancer

At the Zhong Shan Hospital, Shanghai Medical University, between 1960 and 1991, liver resection was performed in 896 patients with primary liver cancer; local resection was performed in 552 patients (61.6%), left lateral segmentectomy in 114 (12.7%), left hemihepatectomy in 157 (17.5%), extended left hemihepatectomy in 19 (2.1%), right hemihepatectomy in 50 (5.6%), and extended right hemihepatectomy in 4 (0.4%). The overall operative mortality was 4.6%, but it was 22.0% in 1960–1970, 7.0% in 1971–1980, and 2.8% in 1981–1991. Encouraging changes in the prognostic pattern were observed when comparing the data for 1960–1970 (n=59), 1971–1980 (n=115), and 1981–1991 (n=722): the 5-year survival rate was 14.0%, 36.0%, and 50.8%, respectively, and the 10-year survival rate was 12.3%, 25.5%, and 40.8%, respectively. Significant differences in survival patterns were noted when these were analyzed on the basis of tumor size (≤5 vs >5cm), curative resection, tumor number, tumor capsule, and tumor emboli in the portal vein. In the entire series, 135 patients have survived for more than 5 years after resection, and 40 patients for more than 10 years after resection. One patient has survived for 32 years and is still alive, free of disease. The approaches to decreasing operative mortality and prolonging survival rate are discussed.