[Transcatheter arterial chemo-embolization combined with CT-guided percutaneous intratumoral injection of lipiodol-ethanol for the treatment of primary hepatocellular carcinoma]

Abstract

Objective: To study the therapeutic effect of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with CT-guided percutaneous intratumoral injection of lipiodol-ethanol(ITLE) for primory hepatocellular carcinoma.

Methods: One hundred and two patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC) were divided into two groups. In group A, 52 patients treated with TACE, and in group B, 50 patients were treated with TACE and ITLE.

Results: In group A 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rate of the treated patients was 68.3%, 41.2%, and 21.4%, respectively. Histologic examination of cancer specimens obtained from hepatectomy and biopsy showed that TACE caused complete necrosis in only 26.1% of the treated cases. In contrast, in group B patients treated with TACE combined with ITLE, the 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rate was 100%, 85.2% and 68.4%, respectively. Combination therapy resulted in complete histologic necroses in 86.4% of the treated cases.

Conclusion: The therapeutic effect of TACE combined with CT-guided ITLE is much better than that of TACE alone.