Surgical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma originating from caudate lobe--a report of 39 cases

Survival outcomes after caudate lobectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma: systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Caudate lobectomy (CLB) remains the most effective treatment for caudate lobe hepatocellular carcinoma (CL-HCC). However, there is controversy regarding the survival after CLB. This meta-analysis aims to investigate the survival outcomes following CLB for the treatment of CL-HCC.

METHODS

In line with PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines, a search for all eligible studies was performed. The pooled estimates of survival rates and hazard ratios (HRs) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using fixed- or random-effects models.

RESULTS

Sixteen studies comprising 864 patients met the inclusion criteria. The pooled estimates of 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 62.3% and 42.9% respectively and the pooled estimate of 3- and 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates were 39.3% and 24.4% respectively. CL-HCC showed inferior OS (HR:1.39, 95% CI: 0.91-1.88, P < 0.001) and RFS (HR:1.33, 95% CI: 1.10-1.56, P < 0.001) than other sites HCC. Isolated CLB showed better OS (HR:0.9, 95% CI:0.39-1.41, p < 0.001) and RFS (HR:0.76, 95% CI: 0.03-1.5, P = 0.04) than combined CLB.

CONCLUSIONS

The survival outcomes for CL-HCC after CLB are lower compared to other sites HCC. Isolated CLB offers better survival outcomes compared to combined CLB. However, choosing isolated or combined approaches should be prioritized according to patient and tumour characteristics.

Surgical Strategy for Resecting Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the Caudate Lobe: Isolated or Combined Lobectomy? A Single-Center Study and Meta-Analysis

Background

Resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) originating in the caudate lobe remains challenging, while the optimal extent of resection is debated. We aimed to evaluate the relative benefits of combined caudate lobectomy (CCL) versus isolated caudate lobectomy (ICL) for caudate HCC.

Methods

Patients who underwent curative-intent resection for caudate HCC between January 2010 and December 2018 were identified from a single-center database. Surgical outcomes of the two strategy groups were analyzed before and after propensity score matching. A systematic review with meta-analysis was also performed to compare outcomes of CCL versus ICL for caudate HCC.

Results

A total of 28 patients were included: 11 in the CCL and 17 in the ICL group. Compared with ICL, the CCL group contained patients with larger tumors and a higher incidence of vascular invasion. After propensity score matching, 6 pairs of patients were selected. In the well-matched cohort, CCL demonstrated significantly improved recurrence-free survival (RFS) (P = 0.047) compared with ICL; no significant differences were noted for overall survival (OS), operation time, blood loss and morbidity rate. A total of 227 patients from nine eligible studies and ours were involved in the systematic review. Meta-analysis revealed that CCL provided better RFS (hazard ratio 0.54, 95% confidence interval 0.31–0.92) than ICL; no significant differences were observed in OS, operation time, blood loss and morbidity rate.

Conclusion

CCL confers superior RFS over ICL without compromise of perioperative outcomes and should be prioritized for patients with caudate HCC when feasible, especially for those with large-sized tumors.

Long-term clinical outcomes of patients receiving proton beam therapy for caudate lobe hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) located in the caudate lobe (caudate HCC) is rare; however, patients with this type of tumour have poorer prognoses than those with HCC in other segments. Despite many published reports on the clinical usefulness of proton beam therapy (PBT) for HCC, data on the clinical outcomes of patients undergoing PBT for caudate HCC remain scarce. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the outcomes of this group of patients. Thirty patients with caudate HCC who underwent definitive PBT between February 2002 and February 2014 were retrospectively analysed. The total irradiation doses ranged from 55 to 77 (median 72.6) Gy relative biological dose. The median follow-up period was 37.5 (range, 3.0-152.0) months. The overall survival (OS) rates at one, three and five years were 86.6%, 62.8% and 46.1%, respectively. According to univariate and multivariate analyses, Child-Pugh A (P < 0.01), having a single tumour (P = 0.02) and a low serum alpha-fetoprotein level (AFP; P < 0.01) were significant factors predicting longer survival. The local control (LC) rates at one, three and five years were 100%, 85.9% and 85.9%, respectively, while the corresponding progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 65%, 27.5% and 22%, respectively. No grade 3 or worse adverse events were observed. PBT is effective and safe for the treatment of caudate HCC, and should therefore be considered a feasible option for intervention in patients with this disease.

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma originating in the caudate lobe: A pilot clinical study

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy, feasibility, and tolerability of ultrasound (US)-guided percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA) for treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) originating in the caudate lobe.

Materials and Methods

The treatment and survival parameters of 32 patients with HCC in the caudate lobe, who met the inclusion criteria and had received US-guided percutaneous MWA in our department from November 2010 to October 2015, were retrospectively analyzed. Imaging examination (contrast-enhanced computed tomography or magnetic resonance) 1 month after MWA was used to evaluate the efficacy of US-guided MWA.

Results

Thirty-two patients underwent percutaneous MWA for caudate lobe HCC. The average tumor size was 3.42 ± 0.27 (range: 1-6.8) cm. The initial complete ablation (CA) rate was 87.5% (28/32), and the total CA rate was 96.88% (31/32). Furthermore, the median length of hospitalization was 4 days (range: 2-10 days), and no major complication was observed in this study. The overall survival rates were 87.5%, 50%, and 28.13% at 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively. The progression-free survival after MWA was 93.75%, 53.15%, and 28.13% at 6, 12, and 18 months, respectively.

Conclusions

US-guided percutaneous MWA was a safe and effective treatment. It is a promising alternative therapy for HCC originating in the caudate lobe.

Surgical indication and strategy for liver hemangioma in the caudate lobe: a multi-institutional retrospective analysis with 137 patients

Objective

To investigate the surgical indication and tactics for liver hemangioma in the caudate lobe

Methods

From January 1994 to July 2019, 137 patients, including 51 males and 86 females with the average age of 49.2 years old were diagnosed with liver hemangioma in caudate lobe and received treatment at five tertiary referral hospitals. Clinical features, correlations between tumor size and clinical manifestations, treatments, and prognosis were analyzed.

Results

Of the 137 patients identified, 40 (29.20%) patients were asymptomatic, whereas other 94 patients had clinical symptoms mainly presented as upper abdominal discomfort, epigastric distention, upper abdominal dull pain, nausea, and vomiting. Fifteen (93.75%), 18 (39.13%), and 7 (10.45%) patients presented no clinical symptoms among those tumor size was less than 3 cm (D ≤ 3 cm, n = 16), 3 cm < D ≤ 6 cm (n = 46), and 6 cm < D ≤ 9 cm (n = 67), respectively, while all 8 patients with tumor larger than 9 cm were symptomatic. Tumor diameter was obviously associated with the presence of clinical symptoms. In follow-up period, 7 patients in the conservative group (n = 39) received surgery because of tumor growth or symptom appearance. Totally 105 patients received operation including partial resection or isolated complete resection of caudate lobe and caudate lobe resection combined with liver segment resection, right liver resection, or left liver resection. All operations went smoothly, and no severe complications appeared.

Conclusion

Tumor diameter was obviously associated with the presence of clinical symptoms in patients with hemangioma in caudate lobe. Surgical therapy is not recommended for asymptomatic patients and available for patient who has symptoms. Effective surgical strategies should be put into use to reduce operative bleeding.

Stereotactic radiofrequency ablation of primary liver tumors in the caudate lobe

BACKGROUND

The encasement of the caudate lobe by a vascular ring of large vessels may apart from the technical difficulties in needle placement increase the probability of local recurrence after thermal ablation due to cooling effects. This single-center retrospective study evaluates the results after multiprobe stereotactic radiofrequency ablation (SRFA) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the caudate lobe.

METHODS

Twenty patients underwent 24 multiple-probe SRFA sessions for the treatment of 24 HCCs in the caudate lobe. Eight of twenty patients had initially solitary tumors, the remaining 12 patients suffered from multifocal disease.

RESULTS

The median tumor size was 1.5 cm (range: 1-8 cm). After a mean follow-up of 21 months one local recurrence in the caudate lobe was observed resulting in a local recurrence rate of 4.2% (1/24). The overall survival rates at 1, 3, and 5 years from the date of the first SRFA were 95%, 59%, and 44%, respectively, with a median overall survival of 51.3 months. The disease-free survival after SRFA was 48%, 24% and 24%, at 1, 3 and 5 years, respectively. One patient suffering from Child C liver cirrhosis died due to septic shock 26 days after SRFA and one postinterventional complication required minimal invasive interventional treatment.

CONCLUSION

Multiprobe SRFA for HCC in the caudate lobe appears to be safe and feasible. The overall outcome is at least comparable to that of surgical resection, with low perioperative mortality and only minimal morbidity.

NMFBFS: A NMF-Based Feature Selection Method in Identifying Pivotal Clinical Symptoms of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly aggressive malignancy. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), with the characteristics of syndrome differentiation, plays an important role in the comprehensive treatment of HCC. This study aims to develop a nonnegative matrix factorization- (NMF-) based feature selection approach (NMFBFS) to identify potential clinical symptoms for HCC patient stratification.

METHODS

The NMFBFS approach consisted of three major steps. Firstly, statistics-based preliminary feature screening was designed to detect and remove irrelevant symptoms. Secondly, NMF was employed to infer redundant symptoms. Based on NMF-derived basis matrix, we defined a novel similarity measurement of intersymptoms. Finally, we converted each group of redundant symptoms to a new single feature so that the dimension was further reduced.

RESULTS

Based on a clinical dataset consisting of 407 patient samples of HCC with 57 symptoms, NMFBFS approach detected 8 irrelevant symptoms and then identified 16 redundant symptoms within 6 groups. Finally, an optimal feature subset with 39 clinical features was generated after compressing the redundant symptoms by groups. The validation of classification performance shows that these 39 features obviously improve the prediction accuracy of HCC patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with other methods, NMFBFS has obvious advantages in identifying important clinical features of HCC.

Robot-assisted laparoscopic partial caudate lobe resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic liver

PURPOSE

To evaluate the technical feasibility and safety of robot-assisted laparoscopic partial caudate lobe resection using the robotic surgical system.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a report of the use of robot-assisted laparoscopic partial caudate lobe resection on 2 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

RESULTS

Robot-assisted laparoscopic partial caudate lobe resection was completed successfully in these 2 patients. The operating time was 137 and 150 minutes, respectively. The blood loss was 137 and 150 mL, respectively. They were able to tolerate liquids on the second postoperative day. Both patients recovered from the operation. They were discharged 4 and 5 days after the operation, respectively. The resected margins of both specimens were tumor free (R0 resections).

CONCLUSIONS

Robot-assisted laparoscopic partial caudate lobe resection is a feasible and safe procedure. Our results demonstrate the advantages of robotic system on short-term outcomes and suggest the extended indication of minimally invasive hepatectomy even in the technically challenging anatomic area.

Early control of short hepatic portal veins in isolated or combined hepatic caudate lobectomy

BACKGROUND

Caudate lobectomy has long been considered technically difficult. This study aimed to elaborate the significance of early control of short hepatic portal veins (SHPVs) in isolated hepatic caudate lobectomy or in hepatic caudate lobectomy combined with major partial hepatectomy, and to describe the anatomical characteristics of SHPVs.

METHODS

The data of 117 patients who underwent either isolated or combined caudate lobectomy by the same team of surgeons from 2005 to 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. From 2005 to 2007 (group A, n=55), we carried out early control of short hepatic veins (SHVs) only; from 2008 to 2009 (group B, n=62), we carried out early control of both SHVs and SHPVs. The two groups were compared to evaluate which surgical procedure was better. A detailed anatomical study was then carried out on the last 25 consecutive patients in group B to study the number and distribution of SHPVs during surgery.

RESULTS

Patients in group B had less intra-operative blood loss, less impairment of liver function, shorter postoperative hospital stay, fewer postoperative complications and required less blood transfusion (P<0.05). The number of SHPVs in the 25 patients was 183, with 7.3+/-2.7 per patient. The diameters of SHPVs were 1 to 4 mm. On average, 3.4 SHPVs/patient came from the left portal vein, 2.2 from the bifurcation, 1.4 from the right portal vein, and 0.3 from the main portal vein. On average, 3.3 SHPVs/patient supplied segment I of the liver, 0.4 for segment II, 2.1 for segment IV, 1.4 for segment V and 0.1 for segment VI.

CONCLUSION

Early control of SHPVs in isolated or combined hepatic caudate lobectomy may be a useful method to decrease surgical risk and improve postoperative recovery.

Choice of approach for hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma located in the caudate lobe: Isolated or combined lobectomy?

AIM: To investigate the significance of the surgical approaches in the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) located in the caudate lobe with a multivariate regression analysis using a Cox proportional hazard model.

METHODS: Thirty-six patients with HCC underwent caudate lobectomy at a single tertiary referral center between January 1995 and June 2010. In this series, left-sided, right-sided and bilateral approaches were used. The outcomes of patients who underwent isolated caudate lobectomy or caudate lobectomy combined with an additional partial hepatectomy were compared. The survival curves of the isolated and combined resection groups were generated by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by a log-rank test.

RESULTS: Sixteen (44.4%) of 36 patients underwent isolated total or partial caudate lobectomy whereas 20 (55.6%) received a total or partial caudate lobectomy combined with an additional partial hepatectomy. The median diameter of the tumor was 6.7 cm (range, 2.1-15.8 cm). Patients who underwent an isolated caudate lobectomy had significantly longer operative time (240 min vs 170 min), longer length of hospital stay (18 d vs 13 d) and more blood loss (780 mL vs 270 mL) than patients who underwent a combined caudate lobectomy (P < 0.05). There were no perioperative deaths in both groups of patients. The complication rate was higher in the patients who underwent an isolated caudate lobectomy than in those who underwent combined caudate lobectomy (31.3% vs 10.0%, P < 0.05). The 1-, 3- and 5-year disease-free survival rates for the isolated caudate lobectomy and the combined caudate lobectomy groups were 54.5%, 6.5% and 0% and 85.8%, 37.6% and 0%, respectively (P < 0.05). The corresponding overall survival rates were 73.8%, 18.5% and 0% and 93.1%, 43.6% and 6.7% (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: The caudate lobectomy combined with an additional partial hepatectomy is preferred because this approach is technically less demanding and offers an adequate surgical margin.

Caudate lobe hepatocellular carcinoma treated with selective chemoembolization

PURPOSE

To analyze the clinical outcomes of chemoembolization for solitary caudate lobe hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) found at initial presentation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board; the requirement for informed patient consent was waived. From July 1998 to June 2009, 40 patients (28 men, 12 women; mean age, 57 years) found to have a single HCC lesion in the caudate lobe at initial presentation were treated with chemoembolization and evaluated for overall survival and progression-free survival. Multivariate analyses for potential clinical and radiologic factors were performed by using the Cox proportional hazard model.

RESULTS

Selective chemoembolization via the caudate artery was achieved in 34 (85%) patients. Overall survival rates at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years were 92%, 79%, 65%, 56%, and 56%, respectively. Selective chemoembolization of the caudate artery was a critically important factor in longer overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.091; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.021, 0.389; P < .001), and portal vein tumor thrombosis (hazard ratio, 31.25; 95% CI: 4.88, 200.1; P < .001) and multiple tumor-feeding vessels (hazard ratio, 6.87; 95% CI: 1.47, 32.1; P = .014) were significant factors in shorter overall survival. Selective chemoembolization of the caudate artery was also a significant factor in longer progression-free survival (hazard ratio, 0.278; 95% CI: 0.10, 0.76; P = .013).

CONCLUSION

Selective chemoembolization via the caudate artery is possible in most patients with caudate lobe HCC and a critical factor in longer overall survival and longer progression-free survival.

Prognostic factors in the surgical treatment of caudate lobe hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM: To evaluate the short- and long-term outcomes of liver resection for caudate lobe hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 114 consecutive patients with HCC, originating from the caudate lobe, who underwent resection between January 2001 and January 2007. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed on several clinicopathologic variables to determine the factors affecting long-term outcome and intrahepatic recurrence.

RESULTS: Overall mortality and morbidity were 0% and 18%, respectively. After a median follow-up of 31 mo (interquartile range, 11-66 mo), tumor recurrence had occurred in 76 patients (66.7%). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year disease-free survival rates were 65.7%, 38.1%, and 18.4%, respectively. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates were 76.1%, 54.7%, and 31.8%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that subsegmental location of the tumor (45.7% vs 16.2%, P = 0.01), liver cirrhosis (12.3% vs 47.9%, P = 0.03), surgical margin (18.5% vs 54.6%, P = 0.04), vascular invasion (37.9% vs 23.2%, P = 0.04) and extended caudate resection (42.1% vs 15.4%, P = 0.04) were related to poorer long-term survival. Multivariate analysis showed that only subsegmental location of the tumor, liver cirrhosis and surgical margin were significant independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSION: Hepatectomy was an effective treatment for HCC in the caudate lobe. The subsegmental location of the tumor, liver cirrhosis and surgical margin affected long-term survival.

"Curettage and aspiration dissection technique" using PMOD for liver resection

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

To introduce a special dissection technique named "Curettage and Aspiration Dissection Technique" (CADT) using a versatile instrument called Peng's Multifunction Operative Dissector (PMOD) for liver resection. PMOD is an electrosurgical pencil with an inline suction, bearing four functions: electric cutting, coagulation, aspiration and dissection, The above-mentioned functions can be achieved simultaneously or sequentially during liver resection. The purpose of this study was to evaluate this technique and the special electrosurgical device in hepatic surgery.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From June 2005 to December 2006, 70 consecutive patients with segmentectomy or major hepatectomy were performed with this dissection technique by the same surgeon. Peri-operative data and the technical aspect of this device and dissection technique for various types of liver resection were summarised.

RESULTS

Forty-nine of 70 cases with various degrees of cirrhosis. Median blood loss were 470 ml (100-2400 ml), the bleeding and mortality within one month postoperatively was zero. There were postoperative complications in 20 patients: bile leak occurred in five cases, nine cases with right pleural effusion and six with ascites. No relative complications with this method were found.

CONCLUSION

The CADT and PMOD can achieve better dissection and hemostasis. It possible is a much more valuable alternative to other devices currently used for liver surgery.