The surgical management of primary carcinoma of the liver

• DOI: 10.1007/bf01656375
• Publication Date: 2005-05-08T01:50:10Z
• Authors: N. W. Lee; J. Wong; G. B. Ong
• Keywords: Male; 03 medical and health sciences; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; 0302 clinical medicine; Liver Neoplasms; Methods; Hong Kong; Humans; Female; 3. Good health

AbstractFrom 1964 to 1981, a total of 165 patients with primary carcinoma of the liver underwent various types of hepatic resections. Eighty‐five percent of tumors were found in cirrhotic livers. In 78.4%, HBsAg could be demonstrated by the reverse passive hemagglutination technique, while 85.7% had positive alpha‐fetoprotein in the serum. The complication rate was high (42.1%), while the hospital death rate was 20%. The most frequent operations were a right hemihepatectomy (42.4%) and a left hemihepatectomy (34.5%), while 22 patients (13.3%) underwent extended right hepatectomy. The longest survival (a patient operated on in 1962) is now 20 years, and the 5‐year survival rate, as shown in the actuarial survival curve, is 20%.