Long-term prognosis of surgical patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

We reviewed 139 resected patients with hepatocellular carcinoma at our clinic between 1963 and 1987, and using the 118 cases for the period between 1963 and 1986, we analyzed the prognostic factors that influenced the long-term prognosis by comparing the survival curves. Significant differences in the survival patterns were noted when analysed on the basis of the preoperative indocyanine green maximal removal rate (greater than 0.4 mg kg-1 min-1 versus less than 0.4 mg kg-1 min-1), tumor size (greater than 5 cm versus less than 5 cm, etc.) and the existence of tumor capsule. The recurrence of carcinoma was the main cause of death of 32 patients (56%), who died after being discharged from hospital. To improve the prognosis of patients with surgically treated hepatocellular carcinoma, postoperative multidisciplinary treatment is mandatory.