Long-Term Outcomes of Repeat Hepatic Resection in Patients with Recurrent Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Analysis of Recurrent Types and Their Prognosis: A Single-Center Experience in China

• Published in: Annals of surgical oncology Vol. 19; no. 8; pp. 2515 - 2525
• Main Authors: Huang, Zhi-yong, Liang, Bin-yong, Xiong, Min, Zhan, Da-qian, Wei, Shuang, Wang, Guo-ping, Chen, Yi-fa, Chen, Xiao-ping
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer-Verlag 01.08.2012; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - mortality; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - secondary; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - surgery; China; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Hepatectomy - mortality; Hepatobiliary Tumors; Humans; Liver Neoplasms - mortality; Liver Neoplasms - pathology; Liver Neoplasms - surgery; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - mortality; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - pathology; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - surgery; Neoplasm Staging; Oncology; Postoperative Complications; Prognosis; Reoperation; Retrospective Studies; Surgery; Surgical Oncology; Survival Rate; Time Factors; Young Adult; China; Intrahepatic Recurrence; Tumor Capsule; Microvascular Invasion; Hepatic Resection; Intrahepatic Metastasis
• ISSN: 1068-9265; 1534-4681
• DOI: 10.1245/s10434-012-2269-7

Background Recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after curative resection usually originates from intrahepatic metastasis (IM) or multicentric occurrence (MO). The long-term outcomes of repeat hepatic resection in patients with different types of recurrence have not been evaluated in a large number of patients. The surgical indications for recurrent HCC remain controversial. The purpose of this study was to investigate long-term outcomes of repeat hepatic resection and clinicopathologic factors associated with different types of recurrent HCC, and to single out principle differentiating factors between IM and MO. Methods 82 patients who underwent repeat hepatic resection for recurrent HCC were retrospectively studied. The recurrent type was evaluated by histopathologic analysis of primary and recurrent HCC. The recurrence and survival rates as well as clinicopathologic factors associated with different types of recurrence were analyzed. Results 45 patients (54.9%) had confirmed with IM, and 37 patients (45.1%) had with MO. The recurrence rates in the MO patients after initial or repeat resection were significantly lower than those in the IM patients ( p  < 0.001). The overall survival rates in the MO patients after initial or repeat resection were significantly higher than those in the IM patients ( p  < 0.001). Recurrence-free time was identified as the most significant differentiating factor between IM and MO. A recurrence-free time of 18 months after initial resection was a significant cutoff time point for differentiating between IM and MO. A recurrence-free time of less than or equal to 18 months and microvascular invasion at repeat resection were independent adverse prognostic factors for overall survival after repeat hepatic resection. Conclusions Repeat hepatic resection resulted in much higher survival rates in the MO patients than in the IM patients. Repeat hepatic resection could be recommended for those patients in whom the recurrent HCC occurs more than 18 months after initial resection.