Superior long-term outcomes after surgery in child-pugh class a patients with single small hepatocellular carcinoma compared to radiofrequency ablation.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: There are insufficient data comparing long-term prognoses after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and surgery. METHODS: We compared the baseline characteristics and survival rates of patients (single, ≤3 cm, and Child-Pugh class A) treated surgically (n = 215) and with RFA (n = 255) from January 2000 to December 2007 at our institution. RESULTS: The surgery group was characterized by younger age, higher prevalence of HBsAg, less cirrhosis, and an increased chance of Child-Pugh score of 5 and CLIP score of 1, compared to the RFA group. During the median follow-up period of 42 months (range 1-109), the 3-, 5- and 7-year overall survival rates in the surgery group were 98, 94, and 94%, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the RFA group (92, 87, and 76%, respectively, P = 0.002). The 3- and 5-year recurrence-free survival rates were 72 and 66%, respectively, in the surgery group, which were significantly higher than those in the RFA group (34 and 24%, respectively, P < 0.001). The superiority of the survival rates in the surgery group persisted in most patients throughout the subgroup analysis, based on the Child-Pugh score and CLIP score. Multivariate analysis showed that age and surgery as a procedure type were the significant predictive factors for both overall survival [HR = 1.04 (CI 1.001-1.08), P = 0.047 for age; HR = 2.97 (CI 1.19-7.45), P = 0.02 for surgery] and recurrence-free survival [HR = 1.02 (CI 1.01-1.04), P = 0.01 for age; HR = 2.44 (CI 1.76-3.37), P < 0.001 for surgery]. CONCLUSIONS: The long-term outcome after surgery for Child-Pugh class A and single small HCC is superior to that after RFA.

Defining virologic relapse in chronic hepatitis B.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Different definitions of virologic relapse (VR) are being used. One way of defining VR is "reappearance of HBV DNA in the serum," while another definition is an "increase in HBV DNA level greater than 1 log in two determinations at least 4 weeks apart." The aim of this study was to see the effectiveness of these two definitions METHODS: Forty-five HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients with a virologic response [negative PCR (<12 IU/ml)] who had discontinued therapy were analyzed retrospectively for VR, HBeAg reversion and biochemical flare. RESULTS: HBV DNA reappeared in the serum (≥12 IU/ml) of all 45 patients (100%). An increase in HBV DNA level greater than 1 log in two determinations at least 4 weeks apart was identified in 20 of 25 patients (80%). Biochemical flare and HBeAg reversion were observed in 18 (40%) and 14 (31%) patients, respectively. Peak off-therapy HBV DNA level was significantly associated with biochemical flare (r=0.758, P<0.001) and HBeAg reversion (r=0.645, P<0.001). Two patients with high initial off-therapy HBV DNA levels (≥4.0 log(10) IU/ml) were reassessed at 4 weeks, and both experienced a biochemical flare and HBeAg reversion. Two patients had an increase in HBV DNA level greater than 1 log at a very low level (1 log to 2 or 3 log), but did not experience biochemical flare or HBeAg reversion during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Reappearance of HBV DNA was universal when sensitive HBV DNA assay was used. Waiting 4 weeks to confirm VR may be harmful for patients with a high HBV DNA level, and was ineffective to indicate re-therapy for patients with increase in HBV DNA at a very low level. There is a need for improved and standardized definitions of VR.

A feasibility study on the expanded indication for endoscopic submucosal dissection of early gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is the standard treatment for selected cases of early gastric cancer (EGC). Evolution of ESD techniques and accessories has expanded treatment indications. The aim of this study was to compare the therapeutic outcomes for conventional and expanded indications of ESD for EGC. METHODS: Eight hundred six EGC lesions in 780 patients were classified into two groups based on a pathological review: a conventional indication group (595 cases) and an expanded indication group (211 cases). The expanded indication group was classified further into subgroups according to tumor depth and tumor size. Therapeutic outcomes were compared between the conventional and expanded indication groups and between the expanded indication subgroups. RESULTS: The complete resection rate (97.3% vs. 81.0%, p<0.001) and en bloc complete resection rate (95.6% vs. 79.1%, p=0.003) were higher in the conventional indication group than in the expanded indication group. Among the expanded indication patients, the complete resection rate (64.5% vs. 91.1%, p<0.001) and en bloc complete resection rate (63.2% vs. 89.6%, p<0.001) were lower in the submucosal invasion subgroup than in the mucosal invasion subgroup. The complete resection rate and en bloc complete resection rate did not differ between subgroups classified according to tumor size in the expanded indication group. The conventional indication group and expanded indication group did not differ with regard to the rates of local recurrence (0.7% vs. 0%), metachronous recurrence (3.6% vs. 3.3%), or cumulative disease-free survival. Survival outcome was similar in the subgroups classified by tumor depth and size. Perforation was more frequent in the expanded indication group than in the conventional indication group (6.6% vs. 2.4%, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: ESD for expanded indication of EGC had acceptable clinical outcomes. ESD can be applied safely to properly selected patients with EGC.

Composite marginal zone B cell lymphoma and enteropathy-type T cell lymphoma of the stomach: a case report.

We describe a 64-year-old patient with gastric synchronous extranodal marginal zone B cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue and enteropathy-type T cell lymphoma. The simultaneous occurrence of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma and enteropathy-type T cell lymphoma is exceptional and has never been reported. We discuss the possible pathogenetic relationship between the two neoplasms.

[A case of solitary fibrous tumor of the liver].

A 46-year-old woman was found to have a huge liver mass that was detected by abdominal ultrasonography. Abdominal CT and MRI showed a 10 cm-sized, encapsulated mass occupying the anterior segment of the right hepatic lobe. Extended right hemihepatectomy was performed and pathological examination revealed fibroblast-like spindle cells within dense deposits of collagen. On immunohistochemical staining, these spindle tumor cells showed an intense CD34 immunoreactivity. The patient is alive without evidence of tumor recurrence 7 months after the resection. Solitary fibrous tumor is a very rare neoplasm found in the liver parenchyma, and it has been reported in less than 30 patients in the English literature. We present here the first such case in Korea.