The clinical significance of liver pain in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization / 介入放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the relationship between the liver pain and the short-term curative effect in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE).Methods According to the degree of liver pain,118 HCC patients after the initial TACE treatment were divided into two groups:group A(with no complaint of serious liver pain)and group B (complaining of severe liver pain).Short-term curative effects at the fourth and sixth week after initial TACE were compared between the two groups,and the factors related to the liver pain after TACE were analyzed.Results Four to six weeks after the initial TACE,CT scan was performed in all patients.Based on the RECIST criteria the short-term curative effects were evaluated.The CR,PR,SD,PD of group A and B were 0%.1.45%.88.41%,10.14%and 0%,14.29%.81.63%,4.08%,respectively.The difference in OR(CR +PR)between two groups was statistically significant(P=0.0087).The postoperative liver pain was probably related to the preoperative tumor blood supply pattern,the tumor capsule.the cirrhosis and the type of iodized oil deposit.The type of iodized oil deposit showed a negative correlation with the grade of liver pain (r=-0.539,P＜0.001).Conclusion The liver pain occurred after TACE is a useful suggestive sign,which indicates that a good curative result will be obtained.It is of clinical significance to make a full understanding of the relationship between the liver pain and the therapeutic effect.