The effect and utilization of TACE on intrahepatic recurrence after hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma

Objective:To evaluate prognostic factors that could affect disease-free survival and recurrence and evaluate effect of post-operative TACE in inhibiting recurrence for patients after liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods:A total of consecutive 326 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma from Feb.1999 to Feb.2006 were included in this study.All patients underwent hepatic resection.Variables might related with recurrence including sex,age,preoperative AFP level,vascular invasion,resection margin,tumor rapture,tumor size,number of nodule,tumor capsule and post-operative TACE were used in the multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazard model to analyze factors affecting intrahepatic recurrence.Results:On multivariate analysis by Cox proportional hazard model,younger HCC patients,presence of vascular invasion,presence of tumor rupture,larger in tumor diameter,presence of multiple nodules were significantly related to a higher incidence of tumor recurrence.Wider clearance resection margin and post-operative TACE were signiticantlv related to a lower incidence of tumor recurrence.Conclusion:Appropriate measures adopted pre-,during and post-operative may improve disease-free survival and survival time especially in patients who possess high risk factors for recurrence.Post-operative TACE might be effective for the patients who had HCC expressing early recurrence characteristic.