Roberto Santambrogio1, Matteo Barabino2, Valentina D'Alessandro3, Giulio Iacob3, Enrico Opocher2, Marco Gemma4, Marco Antonio Zappa3. 1. ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Chirurgia Generale Ospedale Fatebenefratelli, Piazza Principessa Clotilde 3, 20121, Milano, Italy. rsantambrogio@mclink.it. 2. Chirurgia Epato-Bilio-Pancreatica Ospedale San Paolo Università Di Milano, Milano, Italy. 3. ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Chirurgia Generale Ospedale Fatebenefratelli, Piazza Principessa Clotilde 3, 20121, Milano, Italy. 4. Anestesia E Rianimazione Ospedale Fatebenefratelli, Milano, Italy.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Microinvasion (MI), defined as infiltration of the portal or hepatic vein or bile duct and intrahepatic metastasis are accurate indicators of a poor prognosis for mall hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). A previous study showed that intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS) definition of MI-HCC had a high concordance with histological findings. Aim of this study is to evaluate overall survival and recurrence patterns of patients with MI-HCC submitted to hepatic resection (HR) or laparoscopic ablation therapies (LAT). METHODS: A total of 171 consecutive patients (78 h; 93 LAT) with single, small HCC (< 3 cm) with a MI pattern at IOUS examination were compared analyzing overall survival and recurrence patterns using univariate and multivariate analysis and weighting by propensity score. RESULTS: Overall recurrences were similar in the 2 groups (HR: 51 patients (65%); LAT: 66 patients (71%)). The rate of local tumor progression in the HR group was very low (5 pts; 6%) in comparison to LAT group (22 pts; 24%; p = 0.002). The overall survival curves of HR are significantly better than that of the LAT group (p = 0.0039). On the propensity score Cox model, overall mortality was predicted by the surgical treatment with a Hazard ratio 1.68 (1.08-2.623) (p = 0.022). CONCLUSIONS: If technically feasible and in patients fit for surgery, HR with an adequate tumor margin should be preferred to LAT in patients with MI-HCC at IOUS evaluation, to eradicate MI features near the main nodule, which are relatively frequent even in small HCC (< 3 cm).
BACKGROUND: Microinvasion (MI), defined as infiltration of the portal or hepatic vein or bile duct and intrahepatic metastasis are accurate indicators of a poor prognosis for mall hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). A previous study showed that intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS) definition of MI-HCC had a high concordance with histological findings. Aim of this study is to evaluate overall survival and recurrence patterns of patients with MI-HCC submitted to hepatic resection (HR) or laparoscopic ablation therapies (LAT). METHODS: A total of 171 consecutive patients (78 h; 93 LAT) with single, small HCC (< 3 cm) with a MI pattern at IOUS examination were compared analyzing overall survival and recurrence patterns using univariate and multivariate analysis and weighting by propensity score. RESULTS: Overall recurrences were similar in the 2 groups (HR: 51 patients (65%); LAT: 66 patients (71%)). The rate of local tumor progression in the HR group was very low (5 pts; 6%) in comparison to LAT group (22 pts; 24%; p = 0.002). The overall survival curves of HR are significantly better than that of the LAT group (p = 0.0039). On the propensity score Cox model, overall mortality was predicted by the surgical treatment with a Hazard ratio 1.68 (1.08-2.623) (p = 0.022). CONCLUSIONS: If technically feasible and in patients fit for surgery, HR with an adequate tumor margin should be preferred to LAT in patients with MI-HCC at IOUS evaluation, to eradicate MI features near the main nodule, which are relatively frequent even in small HCC (< 3 cm).
Authors: Biqi Zhang; Grace C Lee; Motaz Qadan; Zhi Ven Fong; Mari Mino-Kenudson; Vikram Desphande; Giuseppe Malleo; Laura Maggino; Giovanni Marchegiani; Roberto Salvia; Aldo Scarpa; Claudio Luchini; Lucia De Gregorio; Cristina R Ferrone; Andrew L Warshaw; Keith D Lillemoe; Claudio Bassi; Carlos Fernández-Del Castillo Journal: Ann Surg Date: 2021-08-01 Impact factor: 12.969