Survival outcomes of hepatic resection compared with transarterial chemoembolization or sorafenib for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombosis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) remains controversial. We compared the outcomes of hepatic resection (HR), transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), and sorafenib therapy as treatments for HCC with PVTT. METHODS: Patients diagnosed as HCC with PVTT between January 2000 and December 2011 who received treatment with sorafenib, HR, or TACE were included. Patients with main PVTT, superior mesenteric vein tumor thrombosis, or Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) class C were excluded. The records of 172 patients were analyzed retrospectively. HR, TACE, and sorafenib treatment were performed is 40, 80, and 52 patients respectively. PVTT was classified as either involving the segmental branch (type I) or extending to involve the right or left portal vein (type II). RESULTS: The median survival time was significantly longer in the HR group (19.9 months) than in the TACE and sorafenib groups (6.6 and 6.2 months, respectively; both p<0.001), and did not differ significantly between the latter two groups (p=0.698). Among patients with CTP class A, type I PVTT or unilobar-involved HCC, the median survival time was longer in the HR group than in the TACE and sorafenib groups (p=0.006). In univariate analyses, the initial treatment method, tumor size, PVTT type, involved lobe, CTP class, and presence of cirrhosis or ascites were correlated with overall survival. The significant prognostic factors for overall survival in Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis were initial treatment method (HR vs. TACE: hazard ratio=1.750, p=0.036; HR vs. sorafenib: hazard ratio=2.262, p=0.006), involved lobe (hazard ratio=1.705, p=0.008), PVTT type (hazard ratio=1.617, p=0.013), and CTP class (hazard ratio=1.712, p=0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with TACE or sorafenib, HR may prolong the survival of patients with HCC in cases of CTP class A, type I PVTT or unilobar-involved HCC.

A Case of Early Multiply Recurred Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Surgical Resection in Patient Who Unprecedented Chronic Liver Disease

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have relatively well known causative factors such as chronic hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis C, alcoholic liver disease, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), liver cirrhosis and so on. Recently, interesting reports that HCC in the absence of cirrhosis or other chronic liver disease and HCC associated with NAFLD and metabolic syndrome are increasing in USA. So far, there is no report about these issues in Korea. We present a 65 year-old obesity male who had no preceding chronic liver disease history. He was diagnosed as primary HCC and the mass was removed completely. However, HCC recurred shortly after operation. Multiple recurred HCC were treated with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization.

A Case of Gastric Variceal Bleeding Controlled by Percutaneous Tranhepatic Glue Embolization / 계명의대학술지

Gastric variceal bleeding has relatively low incidence rate compared to esophageal variceal bleeding. However, gastric variceal bleeding tends to lead to a massive bleeding and rebleeding which in turn leads to high mortality rate. In cases where endoscopic approach is limited, Ballon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO) could be considered as a next modality of seizing acute bleeding. Venous catheterization should be preceded to perform venous embolization, however, in cases of hypovolemic shock status, alternative approaches are required. We are reporting a case of 60-year old female with hypovolemic status due to a massive hematemesis, who went through a percutaneous transhepatic glue embolization to control gastric variceal bleeding.

Differences in the Adverse Effects of Azathioprine between Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Autoimmune Hepatitis in Korean Patients / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Azathioprine (AZA) has been widely used in the therapy of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). However, studies evaluating the adverse effects of AZA in these two diseases are lacking. The aim of this study was to compare the adverse effects of AZA in Korean IBD and AIH patients. METHODS: Patients with IBD or AIH who were treated with AZA at Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center (Daegu, Korea) between January 2002 and March 2011 were enrolled. Their medical records were reviewed retrospectively in terms of clinical characteristics and adverse effects of AZA. RESULTS: A total of 139 IBD patients and 55 AIH patients were finally enrolled. Thirty IBD patients (21.6%) and eight AIH patients (14.5%) experienced adverse effects of AZA. In particular, the prevalence of leukopenia was significantly higher in the IBD group than in the AIH group (p=0.026). T474C mutation was observed in three of 10 patients who were assessed for thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) genotype. CONCLUSIONS: IBD patients are at increased risk for the adverse effects of AZA compared with AIH patients, of which leukopenia was the most commonly observed. Therefore, IBD patients receiving AZA therapy should be carefully monitored.