Distant metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma after successful treatment of the primary lesion.

Recent advances in both diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have improved the prognosis and changed the clinical significance of the subsequently increasing distant metastases. Of 163 patients with HCC, 76 (47%) were treated successfully. The cumulative recurrence rate in these patients was 65% after 3 years, and 82% after 5 years. Six patients with HCC in whom distant metastases were detected after successful treatment of the primary lesion, are reported. Two patients underwent curative surgical resection, and four cases were treated medically, resulting in a 31.9 to 94.3% reduction in tumor size in the CT scan image. Distant metastases without intrahepatic recurrence were diagnosed 10 to 46 months after the treatment of the primary lesions. The sites of the metastases included bone 3; lung 2; and adrenal gland 1. Distant metastases found after successful treatment of the primary lesions are of great clinical significance for the treatment of HCC.