[A clinical study of liver resections in patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma less than three centimeter in diameter].

Liver resections for 52 cases with small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) less than 3cm in diameter were clinically studied. The 5-year-survival rate was 57.1%, which was better than that of percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) therapy. Histological study revealed infiltration to the capsule in 48.1%, of which 20% had extra-capsular invasion. This finding seemed to be an important problem in PEI therapy. The group in which resected area was much larger than the extent of tumors had a tendency having good cumulative survival and non-recurrence rates. It is thought that the curative resection should be intended for small HCC if the patient has enough hepatic reserve to undertake a curative operation.