Percutaneous ethanol injection therapy for hepatocellular-carcinoma (review).

Recently, ultrasound-guided percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT) has been widely performed in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Histopathologic examinations after the therapy have revealed that PEIT can destroy the tumor completely in most cases. Findings in imaging modalities and serum tumor marker levels have also shown a remarkable anticancer effect of this procedure. In addition, PEIT has achieved considerably high long-term survival rates. PEIT is a generally safe procedure and serious complications are rare. PEIT seems to be a valuable therapy and could even be an alternative to surgery in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. This paper reviews the pertinent literature on this new therapy.