To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: Good Liver Function, Small Tumours Result in Long-Term Survival in Hepatocellular Cancer Treated With Percutaneous Laser Ablation: Presented at RSNA URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/217F9A.htm Doctor's Guide November 26, 2007
By Ed Susman CHICAGO, IL -- November 26, 2007 -- Among patients undergoing percutaneous laser ablation for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma, the best chance of long-term survival appears to be associated with good liver function and smaller size of the tumours at the start of treatment. In a 12-year retrospective study of neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd:YAG) laser ablation of the lesions in patients with cirrhosis, researchers identified factors that gave patients the best chance of long-term survival. Researchers observed a rate of survival at 5 years of 56.4% among patients with Child's Class A hepatocellular cancer and with nodules that were less than 2 cm in diameter, according to investigator and presenter Claudio Pacella, MD, Head of Radiology, Ospedale Regina Apostolorum, Albano Laziale, Italy. In his oral presentation on November 25 at the 93rd Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Dr. Pacella suggested that the outcomes in this group of patients were good enough to use percutaneous laser ablation as a first-line therapeutic option. In reviewing the records form nine centres, Dr. Pacella and colleagues identified 278 men and 154 women who underwent treatment to ablate 548 tumours. In this cohort, 344 patients presented with one tumour, 60 patients had two tumours, and 28 had three tumours. Over the course of the study, there was a 0.7% rate of perioperative mortality. About 39% of patients had tumours that were less than 2 cm in diameter, 242 patients or 44% had tumours that were 2.1 to 3 cm in diameter, and 91 patients had tumours that were 3.1 to 4 cm in diameter. Treatment was successful in destroying 79% of tumours that were less than 4 cm in diameter. While univariate analysis identified several possible variables that would account for an improved chance of long-term survival, multivariate analysis determined that two factors predicted outcome: albumin level and tumour size no greater than 3 cm in diameter. "Selection of patients with good liver function and small-sized hepatocellular carcinoma is the main factor affecting patients' outcome after ultrasound-guided percutaneous laser ablation," Dr. Pacella said. "The evidence of albumin levels as predictive factors of survival of cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma stressed the role of liver function as a main determinant of patients' outcome." [Presentation title: Albumin Level and Tumor Size Predicts Survival in 432 Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma =4cm Treated with Percutaneous Laser Ablation: A Multicentric Study. Abstract SSA03-05] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.