Aim of this study is to evaluate whether treating HCC recurrences in resected elderly patients is advantageous or not.
Introduction- Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver malignancy. It usually develops in cirrhotic liver with high recurrence rates. More than 2/3 of patients are elderly, often excluded from surgery and follow-up protocols. Aim of this study is to evaluate whether treating HCC recurrences in resected elderly patients is advantageous or not. Materials and methods- 126 patients, aged between 65 and 90 years, submitted to liver resection for HCC were enrolled. They were divided into three classes. Class 1 included patients submitted to major resections, Class 2 to minor resections and Class 3 to minor resections associated with thermoablation. All of them were clinically and radiologically followed up. Patients who developed recurrences (Group A) were referred to further treatments (surgery, interventional radiology or pharmacological therapy). Mortality, disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS) and quality of life (QoL) were evaluated and compared with non-recurrent patients (Group B). Used interventional radiology means were Radiofrequency ablation (RF), microwaves ablation (MWA) or transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE).
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
126
resection of one or more HCC nodules within the liver
ablation of HCC nodule through a percutaneous needle, by using radiofrequency or microwaves
embolization of HCC nodule via drug-eluted microbeads.
Department of Surgery "Pietro Valdoni"
Roma, Italy
Overall survival
survival in months
Time frame: follow up time 1-16 years
Disease free survival
survival without recurrences in months
Time frame: follow up time 1-16 years
Karnofsky performance scale
evaluation of performance status in dimensionless scale 0 - 100
Time frame: follow up time 1-16 years
Activity of Daily living
assess the ability to manage common routine activities evaluated in dimensionless scale 1-6
Time frame: follow up time 1-16 years
Instrumental Activity of Daily living
assess the ability to use common instruments evaluated in dimensionless scale 1-8
Time frame: follow up time 1-16 years
Blood Haemoglobin
evaluation of mean haemoglobin levels in g/dl
Time frame: follow up time 1-16 years
serum Albumin
evaluation of mean albumin levels in g/dl
Time frame: follow up time 1-16 years
Geriatric Depression Scale
evaluation of depression in patients in dimensionless scale 0 - 15
Time frame: follow up time 1-16 years
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