[Evaluation of non-surgical treatments of hepatocellular carcinoma--investigation of the cases with long and short survivals after treatment].

One hundred and one cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated in Maebashi Red Cross Hospital from May 1984 to August 1987 were classified according to the therapy and progression of the disease and were investigated on their prognosis. Furthermore, "long survived group" in which, patients survived for more than one year were compared with "short survived group" in which patients died within one month after non-surgical treatment. In operated patients, the prognosis was the best, but the rate of operable cases was only 13.9%. In patients with stage IV, one year survival rate was significantly low. In patients with portal trunk invasion (Vp4), or with Child C that was the poorest functional reserve of the liver, one year survival rate was also significantly low in comparison with patients with other stages or other Child's classification. In HCC patients treated with transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE), the prognosis tended to be poor as stage and portal invasion progressed, but in regard to reserve function of the liver, the prognosis was not so poor in patients of Child C significantly as in cases of A or B. The comparisons between long and short survived group were as follows. a) In 17 cases belong to long survived group, mean survival period was 24 months and the longest one was 4 years and 10 months. On the other hand, in 10 cases belong to short survived group, mean survival period was 17 days, the shortest one was 3 days. b) The main reason of inoperability in long survived group was progression of the tumor. Complications such as diabetes mellitus, advanced age and rejection of treatment by the patient were the other reasons of in operability. In almost half of the patients in short survived group, the tumor progression and low functional reserve of liver were found in 4 patients. c) In short survived group, esophageal varices were more common and functional reserve of the liver was poorer than in long survived group. In short survived group, LDH and total bilirubin were significantly higher than those of long survived group, but there was no significant differences in transaminase value and ICG retention in 15 minutes. d) In short survived group, extent of the tumor in liver and portal invasion were advanced. Three cases of this group (30%) had distant metastasis. e) In long survived group, the main reason of death was hepatic failure. Renal failure, or pulmonary complications were also found in short survived group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)