Abstract
Purpose
This study was designed to evaluate the usefulness of percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) with a multipronged needle for the treatment of large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). An experimental animal study and a clinical investigation were performed.
Methods
In the experimental study, 20 ml of 99.5% ethanol was injected into porcine liver in vivo with a multipronged needle (n = 5) or a straight needle (n = 5), and the volumes of coagulation necrosis were compared. In the clinical investigation, PEI was performed in 17 patients (10 men, 7 women; mean age 73.4 ± 6.7 years) with single, large HCC (mean tumor diameter, 47.2 ± 11.5 mm; range, 32–70 mm) by using a multipronged needle. Fifteen of 17 patients received transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) before PEI.
Results
The volume of coagulation in porcine liver in vivo was significantly increased with the multipronged needle compared with the straight needle (longest perpendicular diameters, 34.2 ± 3.6 mm × 30.2 ± 3.6 mm vs. 22.6 ± 2.5 mm × 19 ± 2.2 mm, respectively; P < 0.05). In the clinical trial, initial complete response (CR) of the tumor was achieved in 17 of 17 patients, 7 of whom required two PEI sessions. During the follow-up, local recurrence was detected in 4 of 17 patients at 3–19 months after the procedure, for a rate of sustained local CR of 76%. No major complication occurred.
Conclusions
Use of a multipronged needle substantially increases the volume of coagulation in vivo with respect to the conventional PEI technique. Combined TACE and PEI with multipronged needles is a safe and effective option for percutaneous treatment of single, large HCC.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Parkin DM, Bray F, Ferlay J et al (2005) Global cancer statistics, 2002. CA Cancer J Clin 55:74–108
Olsen AH, Parkin DM, Sasieni P (2008) Cancer mortality in the United Kingdom: projections to the year 2025. Br J Cancer 99:1549–1554
Davis GL, Alter MJ, El-Serag H et al (2010) Aging of the hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected persons in the United States: a multiple cohort model of HCV prevalence and disease progression. Gastroenterology 138:513–521
Bruix J, Sherman M (2005) Management of hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatology 42:1208–1236
Kudo M, Okanoue T, Japan Society of Hepatology (2007) Management of hepatocellular carcinoma in Japan: consensus-based clinical practice manual proposed by the Japan Society of Hepatology. Oncology 72(Suppl 1):2–15
Lu DS, Yu NC, Raman SS et al (2005) Radiofrequency ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma: treatment success as defined by histologic examination of the explanted liver. Radiology 234:954–960
Teratani T, Yoshida H, Shiina S et al (2006) Radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma in so-called high-risk locations. Hepatology 43:1101–1108
Crocetti L, De Baere T, Lencioni R (2010) Quality improvement guidelines for radiofrequency ablation of liver tumors. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 33:11–17
Sugiura N, Tanaka K, Ohto M et al (1983) Treatment of small hepatocellular carcinoma by percutaneous injection of ethanol into tumor with real-time ultrasound monitoring. Acta Hepatol Jpn 24:920
Khan KN, Yatsuhashi H, Yamasaki K et al (2000) Prospective analysis of risk factors for early intrahepatic recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma following ethanol injection. J Hepatol 32:269–278
Koda M, Murawaki Y, Mitsuda A et al (2000) Predictive factors for intrahepatic recurrence after percutaneous ethanol injection therapy for small hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer 88:529–537
Kuang M, Lu MD, Xie XY et al (2009) Ethanol ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma up to 5 cm by using a multipronged injection needle with high-dose strategy. Radiology 253:552–561
Lencioni R, Crocetti L, Cioni D et al (2010) Single-session percutaneous ethanol ablation of early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma with a multipronged injection needle: results of a pilot clinical study. J Vasc Interv Radiol 21:1533–1538
Tateishi R, Shiina S, Teratani T et al (2005) Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma. An analysis of 1000 cases. Cancer 103:1201–1209
Lencioni R, Cioni D, Crocetti L et al (2005) Early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhosis: long-term results of percutaneous image-guided radiofrequency ablation. Radiology 234:961–967
Choi D, Lim HK, Rhim H et al (2007) Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma as a first-line treatment: long-term results and prognostic factors in a large single-institution series. Eur Radiol 17:684–692
Livraghi T, Meloni F, Di Stasi M et al (2008) Sustained complete response and complications rates after radiofrequency ablation of very early hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhosis: Is resection still the treatment of choice? Hepatology 47:82–89
N’Kontchou G, Mahamoudi A, Aout M et al (2009) Radiofrequency ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma: long-term results and prognostic factors in 235 Western patients with cirrhosis. Hepatology 50:1475–1483
Inokuchi R, Seki T, Ikeda K et al (2010) Percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma: increased coagulation diameter using a new electrode and microwave generator. Oncol Rep 24:621–627
Ikeda K, Seki T, Umehara H et al (2007) Clinicopathologic study of small hepatocellular carcinoma with microscopic satellite nodules to determine the extent of tumor ablation by local therapy. Int J Oncol 31:485–491
Lencioni R, Allgaier HP, Cioni D et al (2003) Small hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhosis: randomized comparison of radiofrequency thermal ablation versus percutaneous ethanol injection. Radiology 228:235–240
Lin SM, Lin CJ, Lin CC et al (2004) Radiofrequency ablation improves prognosis compared with ethanol injection for hepatocellular carcinoma < or = 4 cm. Gastroenterology 127:1714–1723
Shiina S, Teratani T, Obi S et al (2005) A randomized controlled trial of radiofrequency ablation versus ethanol injection for small hepatocellular carcinoma. Gastroenterology 129:122–130
Lin SM, Lin CJ, Lin CC et al (2005) Randomised controlled trial comparing percutaneous radiofrequency thermal ablation, percutaneous ethanol injection, and percutaneous acetic acid injection to treat hepatocellular carcinoma of 3 cm or less. Gut 54:1151–1156
Brunello F, Veltri A, Carucci P et al (2008) Radiofrequency ablation versus ethanol injection for early hepatocellular carcinoma: a randomized controlled trial. Scand J Gastroenterol 43:727–735
Orlando A, Leandro G, Olivo M et al (2009) Radiofrequency thermal ablation vs. percutaneous ethanol injection for small hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhosis: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Gastroenterol 104:514–524
Cho YK, Kim JK, Kim MY et al (2009) Systematic review of randomized trials for hepatocellular carcinoma treated with percutaneous ablation therapies. Hepatology 49:453–459
Germani G, Pleguezuelo M, Gurusamy K et al (2010) Clinical outcomes of radiofrequency ablation, percutaneous alcohol and acetic acid injection for hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis. J Hepatol 52:380–388
Komorizono Y, Oketani M, Sako K et al (2003) Risk factors for local recurrence of small hepatocellular carcinoma tumors after a single session, single application of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation. Cancer 97:1253–1262
Kim SW, Rhim H, Park M et al (2009) Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of hepatocellular carcinomas adjacent to the gallbladder with internally cooled electrodes: assessment of safety and therapeutic efficacy. Korean J Radiol 10:366–376
Chen MH, Wei Y, Yan K et al (2006) Treatment strategy to optimize radiofrequency ablation for liver malignancies. J Vasc Interv Radiol 17:671–683
Ebara M, Okabe S, Kita K et al (2005) Percutaneous ethanol injection for small hepatocellular carcinoma: therapeutic efficacy based on 20-year observation. J Hepatol 43:458–464
Tanaka K, Nakamura S, Numata K et al (1992) Hepatocellular carcinoma: treatment with percutaneous ethanol injection and transcatheter arterial embolization. Radiology 85:457–460
Lencioni R, Paolicchi A, Moretti M et al (1998) Combined transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and percutaneous ethanol injection for the treatment of large hepatocellular carcinoma: local therapeutic effect and long-term survival rate. Eur Radiol 8:439–444
Herber S, Biesterfeld S, Franz U et al (2008) Correlation of multislice CT and histomorphology in HCC following TACE: predictors of outcome. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 31:768–777
Acknowledgments
The authors take full responsibility for the scope, direction, and content of the manuscript and have approved the submitted manuscript. They would like to thank Research Analysis Library for the assistance in the literature review and in the preparation and revision of the draft manuscript, based on detailed feedback from the authors. Editorial assistance was supported by Rex Medical.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kawamura, R., Seki, T., Umehara, H. et al. Combined Treatment of Large Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization and Percutaneous Ethanol Injection with a Multipronged Needle: Experimental and Clinical Investigation. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 35, 325–333 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00270-011-0184-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00270-011-0184-0