Hepatology: Adjuvant radiotherapy can effectively consolidate the curative effect of narrow margin hepatectomy for liver cancer

Surgical resection is the main treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, some patients with liver cancer who undergo surgery still have a high recurrence rate and mortality rate
.

This study aimed to study the efficacy and safety of postoperative intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for HCC after narrow margin hepatectomy

This is a single-arm, prospective phase II study that assessed the overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), recurrence, and toxicity of HCC patients receiving adjuvant radiotherapy
.

The inclusion criteria include: pathological diagnosis of HCC after hepatectomy, narrow pathological margin (the distance between the cancer tissue is <1cm), the age of 18 years, and the ECOG performance status score of 0 or 1

OS and DFS

OS and DFS

From 2008 to 2016, a total of 76 patients with narrow margins were recruited
.

The median follow-up was 70 months; the 3-year OS and PFS rates were 88.

The median follow-up was 70 months; the 3-year OS and PFS rates were 88.

Recurrence rate

Recurrence rate

The most common grade 3 toxicities associated with radiotherapy are leukopenia (7.
9%), elevated alanine aminotransferase (3.
9%) and aspartate aminotransferase (2.
6%), and thrombocytopenia (1.
3%) )
.

No typical or atypical radiation-induced liver disease was found

In summary, adjuvant radiotherapy is an effective, well-tolerated and promising adjuvant treatment plan, suitable for HCC patients undergoing narrow margin hepatectomy
.

The results of this study support the continuation of related phase III trials

Adjuvant radiotherapy is an effective, well-tolerated and promising adjuvant treatment plan.

Original source:

Chen Bo,Wu Jian-Xiong,Cheng Shu-Hui et al.

Phase II study of adjuvant radiotherapy following narrow -margin hepatectomy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in this message