Comprehensive review of hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus:State of art and future perspectives

Background:Despite advances in the diagnosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),70%-80%of patients are diagnosed with advanced stage disease.Portal vein tumor thrombus(PVTT)is among the most ominous signs of advanced stage disease and has been associated with poor survival if untreated.Data sources:A systematic search of MEDLINE(PubMed),Embase,Cochrane Library and Database for Systematic Reviews(CDSR),Google Scholar,and National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence(NICE)databases until December 2022 was conducted using free text and MeSH terms:hepatocellular carcinoma,portal vein tumor thrombus,portal vein thrombosis,vascular invasion,liver and/or hepatic resection,liver transplantation,and systematic review.Results:Centers of surgical excellence have reported promising results related to the individualized surgical management of portal thrombus versus arterial chemoembolization or systemic chemotherapy.Critical elements to the individualized surgical management of HCC and portal thrombus include precise classification of the portal vein tumor thrombus,accurate identification of the subgroups of patients who may benefit from resection,as well as meticulous surgical technique.This review addressed five specific areas:(a)formation of PVTT;(b)classifications of PVTT;(c)controversies related to clinical guidelines;(d)surgical treatments versus non-surgical approaches;and(e)characterization of surgical techniques correlated with classifications of PVTT.Conclusions:Current evidence from Chinese and Japanese high-volume centers demonstrated that patients with HCC and associated PVTT can be managed with surgical resection with acceptable results.

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization combined with PD-1 inhibitors and Lenvatinib for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus

BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)patients complicated with portal vein tumor thrombus(PVTT)exhibit poor prognoses and treatment responses.AIM To investigate efficacies and safety of the combination of PD-1 inhibitor,transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE)and Lenvatinib in HCC subjects comorbid with PVTT.METHODS From January 2019 to December 2020,HCC patients with PVTT types Ⅰ-Ⅳ were retrospectively enrolled at Beijing Ditan Hospital.They were distributed to either the PTL or TACE/Lenvatinib(TL)group.The median progression-free survival(mPFS)was set as the primary endpoint,while parameters like median overall survival,objective response rate,disease control rate(DCR),and toxicity level served as secondary endpoints.RESULTS Forty-one eligible patients were finally recruited for this study and divided into the PTL(n=18)and TL(n=23)groups.For a median follow-up of 21.8 months,the DCRs were 88.9%and 60.9%in the PTL and TL groups(P=0.046),res-pectively.Moreover,mPFS indicated significant improvement(HR=0.25;P<0.001)in PTL-treated patients(5.4 months)compared to TL-treated(2.7 months)patients.There were no treatment-related deaths or differences in adverse events in either group.CONCLUSION A triplet regimen of PTL was safe and well-tolerated as well as exhibited favorable efficacy over the TL regimen for advanced-stage HCC patients with PVTT types Ⅰ-Ⅳ.

SpyGlass in Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Right Hepatic Duct Tumor Thrombus Hemorrhage: A Case Report

Hepatocelluar carcinoma presenting as a biliary duct tumor thrombus is a relatively rare entity, with poor prognosis. The primary clinical manifestation of this disease is obstructive jaundice, which can often be misdiagnosed. A 59-year-old female patient was admitted with sudden onset of abdominal pain. Laboratory tests suggested obstructive jaundice, and enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the upper abdomen did not show obvious biliary dilatation. Endoscopic ultrasound and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography suggested an occupying lesion in the upper bile duct. SpyGlass and biopsy finally confirmed hepatocellular carcinoma with right hepatic duct tumor thrombus hemorrhage. The SpyGlass Direct Visualization System, as an advanced biliary cholangioscopy device, showed the advantages of single-person operation as well as easy access to and visualization of the lesion.

Surgical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus: a new classification for surgical guidance

BACKGROUND: Hepatic resection is the main treatment modality for hepatic tumors. Advances in diagnostic technique, preoperative preparation, surgical technique, and postoperative management increased the success rate. The present study aimed to evaluate hepatectomy and resection of inferior vena cava tumor thrombus (IVCTT) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, and the relationship between IVCTT classification and selection of surgical technique. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 13 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who had undergone hepatectomy with IVCTT resection between May 1997 and August 2009. Age, gender, diagnosis, findings of physical examination, results of preoperative laboratory investigations, radiological examination, criteria for resection, postoperative pathological results, incisions, operative technique, intraoperative transfusion, drains, and intraoperative and postoperative complications were evaluated for all patients. RESULTS: Type Ⅰ IVCTT (10 patients) was posterior to the liver and below the diaphragm; type Ⅱ IVCTT (2 patients) was above the diaphragm but still outside the atrium; and type Ⅲ IVCTT (1 patient) was above the diaphragm and in the right atrium. Type Ⅰ was treated by radical hepatectomy and removal of IVCTT with total hepatic vascular exclusion. Type Ⅱ was treated by radical hepatectomy and removal of IVCTT by incision of the diaphragm. Type Ⅲ was treated by hepatectomy and resection of the thrombus from the right atrium under cardiopulmonary bypass. There were no surgical complications and one patient has been survived for 4 years with cancer-free status. The median survival time was 18.2 months, and the 1-and 2-year survival rates were 53.8% and 15.4%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment is safe and feasible for treatment of IVCTT in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, and surgical resectability can be judged according to the classification of tumor thrombus.

Prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma with bile duct tumor thrombus after R0 resection:a matched study

BACKGROUND： Hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） with bile duct tumor thrombus （BDTT） is rare. The present study aimed to determine post-surgical prognoses in HCC patients with BDTT, as outcomes are currently unclear. METHODS： We compared the prognoses of 110 HCC patients without BDTT （group A） to 22 cases with BDTT （group B）. The two groups were matched in age, gender, tumor etiology, size, number, portal vascular invasion, and TNM stage. Additionally, 28 HCC patients with BDTT were analyzed to identify prognostic risk factors. RESULTS： The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates were 90.9%, 66.9%, and 55.9% for group A and 81.8%, 50.0%, and 37.5% for group B, respectively. The median survival time in groups A and B was 68.8 and 31.4 months, respectively （P=0.043）. The patients for group B showed higher levels of serum total bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase and gammaglutamyl transferase, a larger hepatectomy range, and a higher rate of anatomical resection. In subgroup analyses of patients with BDTT who underwent R0 resection, TNM stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ was an independent risk factor for overall survival; these patients had worse prognoses than those with TNM stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ after R0 resection （hazard ratio=6.056, P=0.014）. Besides, univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that non-R0 resection and TNM stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ were independent risk factors for both disease-free survival and overall survival of 28 HCC patients with BDTT. The median overall survival time of patients with BDTT who underwent R0 resection was longer than that of patients who did not undergo R0 resection （31.0 vs 4.0 months, P=0.007）.CONCLUSIONS： R0 resection prolonged survival time in HCC patients with BDTT, although prognosis remains poor. For such patients, R0 resection is an important treatment that determines long-term survival.

Treatment of portal vein tumor thrombus using ^(125)Iodine seed implantation brachytherapy

We reported two cases of liver metastasis with portal vein tumor thrombus that developed after liver transplantation for hepato cellular carcinoma (HCC). Both the patients were women aged 43 and 55 years, who had liver metastasis and portal vein tumor thrombus formation after liver transplantations for HCC. For the treatment of portal vein tumor thrombus, 125I seeds were implanted into the hepatic tissue under the guidance of preoperative computed tomography (CT) images with a total radiation dose of 130 Gy. Enhanced spiral CT scan was performed for evaluation of the liver at 12 and 16 wk after treatment. Thereafter, upper abdominal CT examination was performed every 2-3 mo. No severe complications associated with the 125I seeds were seen in these two patients. The upper abdominal CT images (obtained after 3 and 4 mo of treatment) showed that the thrombosis reactions were complete reaction and restoration of the patency of the partially obstructed portal vein with partial obstruction. In the case with complete obstruction of the portal vein, the thrombosis was resolved completely, but blood flow could not be restored. After this treatment, one of the patients is stillalive, while the other died within 6 mo after the treatment due to lung metastasis complicated with lung infection, leading to respiratory failure.

Hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus

Despite surgical removal of tumors with portal vein tumor thrombus(PVTT) in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) patients, early recurrence tends to occur, and overall survival(OS) periods remain extremely short. The role that hepatectomy may play in long-term survival for HCC with PVTT has not been established. The operative mortality of hepatectomy for HCC with PVTT has also not been reviewed. Hence, we reviewed recent literature to assess these parameters. The OS of patients who received hepatectomy in conjunction with multidisciplinary treatment tended to be superior to that of patients who did not. Multidisciplinary treatments included the following: preoperative radiotherapy on PVTT; preoperative transarterial chemoembolization(TACE); subcutaneous administration of interferon-alpha(IFN-α) and intra-arterial infusion of 5-fluorouracil(5-FU) with infusion chemotherapy in the affected hepatic artery; cisplatin, doxorubicin and 5-FU locally administered in the portal vein; and subcutaneous injection of IFN-α, adjuvant chemotherapy(5-FU + Adriamycin) administration via the portal vein with postoperative TACE, percutaneous isolated hepatic perfusion and hepatic artery infusion and/or portal vein chemotherapy. The highest reported rate of operative mortality was 9.3%. In conclusion, hepatectomy for patients affected by HCC with PVTT is safe, has low mortality and might prolong survival in conjunction with multidisciplinary treatment.

Hepatocellular carcinoma with tumor thrombus in bile duct:A proposal of new classification according to resectability of primary lesion

BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)with tumor thrombus in the bile duct(BDTT)is easily misdiagnosed or mistreated due to the clinicopathological diversity of the thrombus and its relationship with primary lesions.AIM To propose a new classification for HCC with BDTT in order to guide its diagnosis and treatment.METHODS A retrospective review of the diagnosis and treatment experience regarding seven typical HCC patients with BDTT between January 2010 and December 2019 was conducted.RESULTS BDTT was preoperatively confirmed by computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging in only four patients.Three patients with recurrent HCC and one patient with first-occurring HCC had no visible intrahepatic tumors;of these,misdiagnosis occurred in two patients,and three patients died.One patient was mistreated as having common bile duct stones,and another patient with a history of multiple recurrent HCC was misdiagnosed until obvious biliary dilation could be detected.Only one patient who received hepatectomy accompanied by BDTT extraction exhibited disease-free survival during the follow-up period.A new classification was proposed for HCC with BDTT as follows:HCC with microscopic BDTT(Type Ⅰ);resectable primary or recurrent HCC mass in the liver with BDTT(Type Ⅱ);BDTT without an obvious HCC mass in the liver(Type Ⅲ)and BDTT accompanied with unresectable intra-or extrahepatic HCC lesions(Type Ⅳ).CONCLUSION We herein propose a new classification system for HCC with BDTT to reflect its pathological characteristics and emphasize the significance of primary tumor resectability in its treatment.

Typing of biliary tumor thrombus influences the prognoses of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Objective:To establish a new classification of biliary tumor thrombus(BTT).Methods:Overall survival of patients with BTT was first used to determine whether it correlated with current hepatocellular carcinoma staging systems.Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine factors affecting the overall survival(OS)to form the basis of our new classification for BTT.Results:All 6 international staging systems showed overlapping survival curves.Univariate followed by multivariate analyses showed that total bilirubin and intrahepatic/extrahepatic BTT were significant risk factors of OS.Based on these data,a new BTT classification was defined as:TypeⅠ:intrahepatic BTT;and TypeⅡ:extrahepatic BTT involving a common bile duct or common hepatic duct.TypeⅠwas further subdivided into type Ia:BTT involving a second-order intrahepatic duct or above,and type Ib:BTT involving a first-order intrahepatic duct.TypeⅡwas further subdivided into typeⅡa and typeⅡb using a cut-off total bilirubin(TB)>300μmol/L.The numbers(percentages)of patients with typesⅠandⅡBTT were 69(34.2%)and 133(65.8%),respectively.The median OS of typeⅠpatients was significantly higher than that of typeⅡpatients(37.5 months vs.23.2 months;P=0.002).Using subgroup analyses,OS outcomes were significantly different between the subgroups of typeⅡb and type IIa,although there was no significant difference between the type Ia and type Ib subgroups(P=0.07).Conclusions:A new BTT classification was established to predict prognoses of HCC patients with BTT who underwent liver resection.

Experimental study on enhancement of the metastatic potential of portal vein tumor thrombus-originated hepatocellular carcinoma cells using portal vein serum

Objective： Portal vein metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma（HCC） results in a poor prognosis and seriously affects the survival rate of patients. The mechanism underlying the formation of portal vein tumor thrombus（PVTT） is complex and is not yet fully understood. This study was conducted to investigate the impact of portal vein blood on the proliferation, metastasis, invasion and apoptosis of PVTT cells and to explore its possible mechanisms, which was expected to lay a foundation for ascertaining the mechanism underlying the portal vein metastasis of HCC.Methods： Peripheral blood and portal vein blood were collected from patients with HCC, and the sera from these two sources were used to culture the PVTT-originated HCC cell line CSQT-2. The cells were collected after 24 h, and flow cytometry was performed to detect cell proliferation, cell cycle stages and apoptosis. Transwell migration and invasion assays were applied to detect the metastasis and invasion of the cells in each group. The changes in the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in cells were detected via Western blotting. The contents of IL-12, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-2 and TNF-α in the two groups of sera were quantified using corresponding kits. Results： Compared with the group of cells cultured with peripheral serum, the cells cultured with portal vein serum showed significantly lower apoptosis（P〈0.01）, significantly enhanced cell metastasis and invasion（P〈0.01）, whereas cell proliferation and the stages of the cell cycle did not differ significantly（P〉0.05）. A significantly increased expression level of MMP-2 has been observed in tumor cells treated portal vein serum. In addition, compared with peripheral serum, the content of IL-12 was significantly decreased in portal vein serum（P〈0.05）, while the contents of IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-2, and TNF-α did not differ significantly（P〈0.05）. Conclusions： Portal vein serum from HCC patients could inhibit the apoptosis of PVTT-originated HCC cells and promote cell metastasis and invasion. This effect may be related to the lower level of IL-12 in portal vein serum.

Gallbladder cancer with tumor thrombus in the superior vena cava

BACKGROUND:Gastrointestinal cancers,especially pancreatobiliary cancers,are frequently associated with or are complicated by thromboembolic phenomena due to hypercoagulability and/or altered venous drainage,especially of the abdomen and lower limbs.This report describes an unusual and interesting case of gallbladder carcinoma developing a viable tumor thrombus in the superior vena cava(SVC)with resultant SVC obstruction,while on gefitinibbased anti-epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR)therapy.METHODS:A 60-year-old woman was incidentally diagnosed to have gallbladder cancer on cholecystectomy.She had disease recurrence and received systemic chemotherapy followed by gefitinib-based anti-EGFR therapy.Subsequently,while on gefitinib-based therapy,she presented with clinical signs and symptoms suggestive of SVC thrombosis.RESULTS:A whole body PET scan revealed a metabolically active tumor thrombus in the SVC,besides other sites of metabolically active disease inclusive of the lung parenchyma, lymph nodes and abdomen.She was treated with antithrombotics and external beam radiotherapy directed to the SVC thrombus leading to symptomatic relief.She continues to survive on the day of writing this report.CONCLUSIONS:This rare complication,though theoretically possible,is unreported because of the short overall survival of advanced gallbladder cancer patients.This highlights that with the availability of better chemotherapeutic/biotherapeutic agents for increasing in the lifespan of cancer patients,we may come across such cases more frequently in the future.

Anesthetic management for intraoperative acute pulmonary embolism during inferior vena cava tumor thrombus surgery:A case report

BACKGROUND Acute pulmonary embolism(APE)is a rare and potentially life-threatening condition,even with early detection and prompt management.Intraoperative APE required specific ways for detecting since classic symptoms of APE in the awake patient could not be observed or self-reported by the patient under general anesthesia.CASE SUMMARY A 44-year-old man with a history of hepatic cell carcinoma was admitted for radical nephrectomy and tumor thrombectomy due to a newly found kidney tumor with inferior vena cava(IVC)tumor thrombus.APE that occurred during tumor thrombectomy with hypercapnia and desaturation.The capnography combined with the transesophageal echocardiography(TEE)provided a crucial differential diagnosis during the operation.The patient was continuously managed with aggressive intravenous fluid resuscitation and blood transfusion under continuous cardiac output monitoring to maintain hemodynamic stability.He completed the surgery under stable hemodynamics and was extubated after percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy by a certified cardiologist.There were no significant symptoms and signs or obvious discomfort in the patient’s self-report during visits to the general ward.CONCLUSION Under general anesthesia for IVC tumor thrombus surgery,a sudden decrease in end-tidal carbon dioxide is the initial indicator of APE,which occurs before hemodynamic changes.When intraoperative APE is suspected,TEE is useful in the diagnosis and monitoring before computer tomography pulmonary angiogram.Timely clinical impression and supportive treatment and intervention should be conducted to obtain a better prognosis.

Pheochromocytoma with delayed tumor thrombus detection in renal vein: A case report

BACKGROUND Pheochromocytomas with inferior vena cava(IVC)or renal vein tumor thrombus are rare.Surgical management is the first choice.CASE SUMMARY We presented a 42-year-old man with adrenal pheochromocytoma and delayed tumor thrombus detection in the renal vein at the entrance of the IVC three months after adrenalectomy.We performed laparoscopic adrenalectomy during the first surgery and robot-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy and resection of tumor thrombus during the second surgery.CONCLUSION We report the surgical management of a patient with adrenal pheochromocytoma with tumor thrombus at the entrance of the IVC.Robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery is safe and efficient.

Anesthesia and perioperative management for giant adrenal Ewing’s sarcoma with inferior vena cava and right atrium tumor thrombus:A case report

BACKGROUND Ewing’s sarcoma of the adrenal gland with inferior vena cava(IVC)and right atrium thrombus is extremely rare.Here,we report a case of giant adrenal Ewing’s sarcoma with IVC and right atrium tumor thrombus and summarize the anesthesia and perioperative management.CASE SUMMARY A young female was admitted to the Department of Urology with intermittent pain under the right costal arch for four months.Enhanced abdominal computed tomography revealed a large retroperitoneal mass(22 cm in diameter),which may have originated from the right adrenal gland and was closely related to the liver.Transthoracic echocardiography showed a strong echogenic filling measuring 70 mm extended from the IVC into the right atrium and ventricle.After preoperative preparation with cardiopulmonary bypass,sufficient blood products,transesophageal echocardiography and multiple monitoring,tumor and thrombus resection by IVC exploration and right atriotomy were successfully performed by a multidisciplinary team.Intraoperative hemodynamic stability was the major concern of anesthesiologists and the status of tumor thrombus and pulmonary embolism were monitored continuously.During transfer of the patient to the intensive care unit(ICU),cardiac arrest occurred without external stimulus.Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed immediately and cardiac function was restored after 1 min.In the ICU,extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO)and continuous renal replacement therapy(CRRT)were provided to maintain cardiac,liver and kidney function.Histopathologic examination confirmed the diagnosis of Ewing’s sarcoma.After postoperative treatments and rehabilitation,the patient was discharged from the urology ward.CONCLUSION An adrenal Ewing’s sarcoma with IVC and right atrium thrombus is extremely rare,and its anesthesia and perioperative management have not been reported.Thus,this report provides significant insights in the perioperative management of patients with adrenal Ewing’s sarcoma and IVC tumor thrombus.Intraoperative circulation fluctuations and sudden cardiovascular events are the major challenges during surgery.In addition,postoperative treatments including ECMO and CRRT provide essential support in critically ill patients.Moreover,this case report also highlights the importance of multidisciplinary cooperation during treatment of the disease.

Anti-programmed cell death ligand 1-based immunotherapy in recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus and metastasis:Three case reports

BACKGROUND Recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus is a great challenge for oncologists and has a poor prognosis.To date,the safety and efficacy of programmed cell death ligand 1(PD-L1)inhibitors are still unknown.CASE SUMMARY A 59-year-old male was identified as having a tumor thrombus in the inferior vena cava 3 years after surgery.The patient underwent a second surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy.However,the level of alpha-fetoprotein was elevated after 2 mo,and lung metastases and mediastinal lymph node metastases were identified.The expression of PD-L1 in HCC and inferior vena cava tumor thrombus tissues was analyzed by immunohistochemistry.Then,the patient received atezolizumab immunotherapy.The level of alpha-fetoprotein dropped to normal,the mediastinal lymph node metastases decreased in size and the lung metastases disappeared after 3 mo of immunotherapy.The patient had no signs of recurrence at 21 mo of follow-up.A 60-year-old male underwent left hepatic tumor resection,inferior vena cava incision and thrombus removal,followed by regular chemotherapy.The patient developed lung and splenic metastases after surgery.Pembrolizumab was used for six courses,and the splenic metastasis shrank,after which splenectomy was performed.The patient continued to receive pembrolizumab for thirteen courses,and the lung metastases showed no progression.A 34-year-old male was diagnosed with liver cancer with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus.The patient underwent right hepatectomy and received tislelizumab for three courses.He is still receiving immunotherapy and in good condition.CONCLUSION Anti-PD-L1 therapy in HCC patients with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus and metastasis is associated with relatively good patient outcomes.

Comprehensive treatment for primary right renal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with a renal vein tumor thrombus:A case report

BACKGROUND Renal involvement in lymphoma is commonly associated with widespread nodal or extranodal lymphoma.Primary renal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is an extremely rare extranodal lymphoma,accounting for fewer than 1%of all renal masses.Interestingly,the patient in this study had a renal vein tumor thrombus that was observed after laparoscopic radical nephrectomy.CASE SUMMARY We report the case of a 56-year-old female patient with primary renal lymphoma and a renal vein tumor thrombus whose first symptom was right pain in the back and gross hematuria.Histopathology revealed primary renal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.The patient received 8 standard cycles of rituximab with cyclophosphamide,doxorubicin,vincristine,and prednisone chemotherapy after surgery,and no obvious signs of recurrence were observed during the one-year follow-up.CONCLUSION We evaluated comprehensive treatment of primary renal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and multidisciplinary management of this malignancy.

Hepatocellular carcinoma with tumor thrombus extends to the right atrium and portal vein:A case report

BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is the most important primary malignant liver disease.A large proportion of patients with advanced HCC have macrovascular invasion.HCC tends to infiltrate vascular structures,particularly the portal vein and its branches,and more rarely,the hepatic veins.The intravascular tumor thrombus can affect the inferior vena cava(IVC)or even the right atrium(RA),the latter having a poor prognosis.CASE SUMMARY HCC is one of the most aggressive malignant tumors.Tumor thrombus(TT)formation in advanced HCC stages is common and usually involves the hepatic or portal veins.Herein,we report a 69-year-old woman who presented with dyspnea to the emergency department.A ventilation/perfusion lung scan was performed,ruling out pulmonary embolism.Hepatopulmonary syndrome and portopulmonary hypertension were discarded with contrasted echocardiography,but a mass in the RA was detected and confirmed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.Abdominal computed tomography showed a liver mass with a dynamic enhancement pattern compatible with HCC and an intraluminal IVC mass extending from the hepatic vein into the RA.HCC with TT expansion to IVC and RA is rare and indicates poor prognosis.CONCLUSION HCC with TT expansion to IVC and RA is rare and indicates poor prognosis.There is no consensus about anticoagulation or other interventions in these patients.

Transarterial chemoembolization plus stent placement for hepatocellular carcinoma with main portal vein tumor thrombosis:A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Portal vein tumor thrombus is an important indicator of poor prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.Transarterial chemoembolization is recommended as the standard first-line therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.Portal vein stent placement is a safe and effective therapy for promptly restoring flow and relieving portal hypertension caused by tumor thrombus.AIM To assess the clinical significance of transarterial chemoembolization plus stent placement for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with main portal vein tumor thrombosis.METHODS We searched English and Chinese databases,assessed the quality of the included studies,analyzed the characteristic data,tested heterogeneity,explored heterogeneity,and tested publication bias.RESULTS In total,eight clinical controlled trials were included.The results showed that the pressure in the main portal vein after stent placement was significantly lower than that with no stent placement.The cumulative stent patency and survival rates at 6 and 12 months were lower in the transarterial chemoembolization+stent placement group than in the transarterial chemoembolization+stent placement+brachytherapy/radiotherapy group.The survival rates of patients treated with transarterial chemoembolization+stent placement for 6 and 12 months were higher than those of patients treated with transarterial chemoembolization alone.CONCLUSION For Chinese patients with hepatocellular carcinoma with main portal vein tumor thrombosis,transarterial chemoembolization plus stenting is effective.Transarterial chemoembolization+stent placement is more effective than transarterial chemoembolization alone.Transarterial chemoembolization+stent placement+brachytherapy/radiotherapy is more effective than transarterial chemoembolization+stenting.

CT guided ^125iodine seed implantation for portal vein tumor thrombus in primary hepatocellular carcinoma

Background This study evaluated the clinical application of CT guided ^125iodine implantation in patients with portal vein tumor thrombus in primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods The ten patients （9 males and 1 female, aged from 36 to 72 years） with portal vein tumor thrombus accompanying hepatocellular carcinoma had been treated with comprehensive therapy including surgery, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, radiotherapy ablation, microwave ablation or percutaneous ethanol injection. The average diameter of each tumor thrombus was 21.5 mm × 30.5 mm. Seeds of 30 MBq ^125I were implanted 5 mm apart within the portal vein tumor thrombus. The follow-up after 4 months included enhanced spiral CT. Results CT screening of the tumours indicated that 4 out of 10 patients showed complete response to the therapy, 5 partial response and 1 stable disease. Adverse effects included aggravated abdominal dropsy and temporarily increased transaminase, which were controlled by medical management. Severe complications such as haemorrhage, biliary fistula hepatic abscess, pancreatic fistula and hepatic function failure were not observed. Implanted seeds migrated to lung and left hepatic lobe in 1 case. Conclusion CT guided implantation of ^125iodine seeds, can effectively treat portal vein tumor thrombus accompanying hepatocellular carcinoma with minimal damage and few complications.

Piggyback liver transplant techniques in the surgical management of urological tumors with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus

Background An important characteristic of renal cell carcinomas and adrenal tumors is that these tumors may expand into the renal vein and inferior vena cava, and transform into tumor thrombi. This study was to evaluate the use of piggyback liver transplant techniques for surgical management of urological tumors with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus. Methods Nineteen patients with renal cell carcinomas or adrenal tumors with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus were treated from November 1995 to April 2008. Their ages ranged from 29 years to 76 years （mean 54 years）. The extent of tumor thrombus was infrahepatic （level Ⅰ） in 2, retrohepatic （level Ⅱ） in 7, suprahepatic （level Ⅲ） in 6, and intra-atrial （level Ⅳ） in 4 patients. We used cardiopulmonary bypass with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest to remove the thrombi in 3 cases of level IV and in 2 cases of level Ⅲ. In all level Ⅱ, 4 level Ⅲ, and 2 level IV cases, we used piggyback liver transplant techniques to mobilize the liver off of the inferior vena cava and to separate the inferior vena cava from the posterior abdominal wall. Results Mean operative time was 5.1 hours, mean estimated blood loss was 2289 ml and mean blood transfusion was 12.84 U. One patient with adrenal cortical carcinoma and level Ⅳ thrombus died in the immediate postoperative period. Three patients were lost to follow up, and the other 15 survivors were followed from 5 months to 56 months. Eight of these 15 patients died due to metastasis; however 7 were still alive at the last follow-up. Conclusions An aggressive surgical approach is the only hope for curing patients diagnosed with urological tumors combined with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus. The use of piggyback liver transplant techniques to mobilize the liver off of the inferior vena cava provides excellent exposure of the inferior vena cava. Patients with a level Ⅱ or level Ⅲ inferior vena cava thrombus may be treated without using cardiopulmonary bypass.