| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5732069 | International Journal of Surgery | 2017 | 8 Pages |
â¢The treatment for intrahepatic recurrence of HCC is poorly investigated.â¢No data in the literature document the long-term outcome of SLT and RR/RFA for patients with recurrent HCC according to the time interval to recurrence.â¢Our results revealed that the time to recurrence from initial hepatectomy was an independent predictor of OS and DFS after retreatment.â¢Recurrence-free survival of patients underwent SLT was much better than that of patients underwent RR/RFA, particularly for the patients with late recurrence.â¢This founding may optimize the liver graft allocation and help liver surgeon select the potential recipient.
ObjectiveThe optimal treatment strategy for patients with recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. This study was designed to investigate the outcomes of salvage liver transplantation (SLT) and re-resection (RR)/radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with respect to the time to recurrence after initial curative resection.MethodsBetween 2007 and 2016, 756 patients underwent curative hepatectomy for HCC in accordance with the Milan criteria. Among them, 152 experienced an intrahepatic recurrence and underwent SLT (n = 36) and RR/RFA (n = 116). Clinical data, overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS) (including subgroup analyses) according to the time to recurrence were statistically compared between the 2 groups, and prognostic factors were identified.ResultsThe DFS of the patients who underwent SLT was much better than that of the patients who underwent RR/RFA (P = 0.002), particularly those with late recurrence (more than 12 months, P = 0.004). The time to recurrence from initial hepatectomy was found to be an independent predictor of OS and DFS.ConclusionsSLT, rather than re-resection or RFA, should be the preferred treatment option for patients with late recurrence.
