Tumor vascularity as a prognostic factor for hepatic tumors

The prognostic and therapeutic significance of tumor vascularity was studied in 36 patients with hepatoma or metastatic colon cancer in the liver. All patients had nonresectable tumor and were treated by hepatic artery ligation and hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy. Chemotherapy consisted of methotrexate, actinomycin-D, 5-fluorouracil and cyclophosphamide. Hepatic tumors were categorized into Grades I to III in the order of increasing vascularity as determined by preoperative hepatic angiography. Tumor vascularity of 15 patients with hepatoma was Grade III in 11 (73%) and Grade II in 4 (27%). No patient with hepatoma had a Grade I tumor. The median survival of patients was 10 and 6 months for Grade III and II hepatomas, respectively, after hepatic artery ligation, and 18 and 8.5 months for Grade III and II, respectively, from the time of diagnosis of hepatoma. Tumor vascularity of 21 patients with metastatic colon cancer was as follows: Grade III in 3 (14%); Grade II in 10 (48%); and Grade I in 8 (38%). The median survival was 11, 10.5 and 4 months for Grades III, II and I, respectively, after hepatic artery ligation, and 17, 14.5 and 7.2 months for Grades III, II and I, respectively, from the time of diagnosis of hepatic metastases of colon cancer. The results indicate that the more vascular the hepatic tumor on angiogram, the better the prognosis following hepatic artery ligation and infusional chemotherapy.

Acute renal failure after ligation of the hepatic artery

Acute renal failure developed in nine of 78 patients who were subjected to hepatic artery ligation for nonresectable and extensive malignant tumor of the liver. Of those nine, six had hepatomas, one cholangiocarcinoma, one metastatic islet-cell carcinoma and one metastatic melanoma. Preoperative renal function as reflected in blood-urea-nitrogen and serum creatinine values was within normal limits. There were marked elevations of serum glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase and lactic dehydrogenase levels after hepatic artery ligation, an indication of massive ischemic injury of the tumor and the liver. A diagnosis of acute renal failure was established within 14 to 70 hours after hepatic artery ligation. In five patients, oliguric renal failure developed, and in four, high urinary output renal failure. In only three patients did systemic hypotension and hypovolemia precede acute renal failure. Seven of the nine patients died. Postmortem examination was done in five patients, and in only two was there evidence of renal tubular necrosis. The factors contributing to acute renal failure appear to be extensive involvement of the liver by tumor, presence of ascites and jaundice, occlusion of the portal vein and hyperuricemia. The presence of any one of the foregoing contraindicates the procedure.

Surgical management of carcinoma of the junction of the main hepatic ducts

Twenty-six patients are reviewed who had primary carcinomas involving the junction of the hepatic ducts. The majority had had an initial procedure of palliative biliary diversion elsewhere and were referred for further treatment. In three cases, en bloc resection of the tumor with total hepatectomy and orthotopic liver transplantation were performed. All tumor growth was encompassed in each case, but within 4 months all succumbed as a result of allograft rejection. Auxiliary (heterotopic) liver transplantation was performed in another patient because of recurrent disease after previous left hepatic resection in continuity with a hilar duct lesion. Five patients underwent hepatic lobectomy with en bloc resection of the hepatic duct junction. When adequate tumor excision was not feasible, biliary diversion could provide good palliation in some instances for extended periods of time. This is demonstrated by one patient who lived for 4 years and 4 months after the initial operation. In the meantime, the patient underwent 6 subsequent procedures of dilating of constricted bile ducts and tube cannulation of the biliary tree. Biliary diversion was achieved in 4 cases by intrahepatic cholangiojejunostomy. One of these patients, who is on chemotherapy, is asymptomatic one year after surgery.

Tumors of the liver as demonstrated by angiography, scan and laparotomy

One hundred and eighteen patients with various hepatic tumors proved by laparotomy have been analyzed for accuracy and for pitfalls of preoperative studies, namely, physical examination, celiac and superior mesenteric angiography and liver scan. Angiography is correct in detecting a hepatic tumor in 93 per cent and scan, in 87 per cent, overall. When angiography and scan are combined, tumors are detected in 97 per cent of patients. As for specific location and extent of the hepatic tumor to determine its resectability, angiography is correct in 75 and scan in 62 per cent, over-all. Eleven of 39 resectable tumors were deemed nonresectable in preoperative studies. Although angiography and scan are the best available means of diagnosing hepatic tumors, presently, true resectabilty of hepatic tumors can be determined only be exploratory examination.

Major hepatic resection using vascular isolation and hypothermic perfusion

The technique and results of 29 major hepatic resections using the method of complete vascular isolation and hypothermic perfusion of the liver are reported. The method enables the surgeon to perform otherwise difficult or impossible resections through chilled bloodless hepatic parenchyma. Major intrahepatic vascular structures can thus be recognized and controlled readily under clear vision. Direct neoplastic involvement of, or tumor thrombi in the portal vein, hepatic vein or vena cava, can be successfully dealt with by appropriate surgical measures. The operative mortality was 10.3% for this series which included many tumors previously deemed unresectable. The technical detail and intraoperative physiologic monitoring crucial to success in the use of the method are described. It is hoped that with the widened scope of resectability afforded by this technique, and the use of adjuvant chemotherapy, the currently experienced low cure rates for hepatic cancer can be improved.