Determination of clonal origin of recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma for personalized therapy and outcomes evaluation: a new strategy for hepatic surgery

Survival benefit of radioembolization for inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma using yttrium-90 microspheres

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Transarterial radioembolization with yttrium-90 microspheres is one treatment option for inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma. We compared the survival in a cohort of patients receiving radioembolization or no radioembolization.

METHODS

The data of 46 patients referred for radioembolization was retrospectively reviewed. The patient, tumor characteristics, and the survival were compared in the two groups. The independent predictors for survival were studied with multivariate analysis. The side-effects and the complication of radioembolization-induced liver disease was recorded.

RESULTS

Thirty patients received radioembolization; 16 patients did not. The two groups did not differ in the mean age, Child-Pugh classes, Barcelona Clinic of Liver Cancer (BCLC) stages, tumor types, sum of diameter of the two biggest tumors, and extent of portal vein invasion. Those with BCLC stage C tumor, with portal vein thrombus, or with less than three nodules had significantly longer survival after radioembolization. There was a trend of longer survival in patients with Child-Pugh A liver function, or with BCLC stage B tumor after radioembolization. The median survival was more than 31.9 months, 14.5 months, and 5.2 months in patients with BCLC stage A, B, and C tumors. The independent predictors for longer survival were Child-Pugh class, tumor diameter sum, BCLC stage, and receiving radioembolization. Grade 2 irradiation-induced gastritis occurred in three patients (10%). Radioembolization-induced liver disease occurred in four patients (13%).

CONCLUSIONS

Radioembolization may prolong survival for patients with inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma. Radioembolization-induced liver disease occurred and should be further studied.

Management of hepatocellular carcinoma should consider both tumor factors and background liver factors

As progression and outcome of relapsed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are distinct from those of a second primary tumor, clonal analyses of initial and recurrent HCCs are thus clinically useful. Although several studies in Japan and Taiwan had shown that the multicentric origin (MO) recurrences were more common than intrahepatic metastases (IM), a recent report from China indicated that IM cases outnumber MO recurrences. In managing HCC cases, both tumor malignancy and background liver function are important considerations (and which we characterize as tumor factors and background liver factors, respectively); they indicate both appropriate treatment, and likely post-surgical outcome. In this editorial, we explain why the report had shown such a different conclusion. We also discuss current management of HCC.