Results of surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma.

The results of surgical resection in 174 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma was studied. The patients included 147 male and 27 female with a mean age of 54 years. Serum alfa-fetoprotein was elevated in 74% and 67% had liver cirrhosis. The operative morbidity was 46.6% and 30 day mortality was 13.2%. The most common complications were hemorrhage and liver failure. The five and eight year survival rates were 15% and 12% respectively. Long survival of more than ten years was possible after resection of large tumours, even in patients with liver cirrhosis.