Hepatic perivascular epithelioid cell tumors:The importance of preoperative diagnosis

Accurate preoperative diagnosis is highly important for the treatment of perivascular epithelioid cell tumors(PEComas)because PEComas are mainly benign tumors and may not require surgical intervention.By analyzing the causes,properties and clinical manifestations of PEComas,we summarize the challenges and solutions in the diagnosis of PEComas.

Massive simultaneous hepatic and renal perivascular epithelioid cell tumor benefitted from surgery and everolimus treatment:A case report

BACKGROUND Perivascular epithelioid cell tumor(PEComa)is a rare mesenchymal neoplasm that predominantly affects the kidney and uterus.The occurrence of this tumor in the liver,particularly with simultaneous involvement of the liver and kidney,is exceedingly uncommon.Pathological diagnosis is the gold standard.PEComas usually show positive immunohistochemical staining for melanocytic(HMB-45,Melan-A)and myoid(SMA,muscle-specific actin)markers.CASE SUMMARY We presented a noteworthy case of malignant PEComa affecting both the liver and kidney in a 53-year-old man with tuberous sclerosis complex(TSC).FAT2 and TP73 mutations in the kidney were identified and positive expression of diagnostic markers including HMB-45,Melan A,and TFE3 were detected.In addition,we demonstrated that hepatic artery perfusion chemotherapy was ineffective for hepatic PEComa,while surgery remained the most effective approach.Everolimus showed an excellent efficacy in the postoperative treatment of the tumor.CONCLUSION Surgical treatment is preferred for malignant PEComa affecting liver and kidney,especially with TSC;everolimus is effective postoperatively.

Complications of radiofrequency ablation of hepatic tumors:Frequency and risk factors

Radiofrequency ablation(RFA)has become an important option in the therapy of primary and secondary hepatic tumors.Surgical resection is still the best treatment option,but only a few of these patients are candidates for surgery:multilobar disease,insufficient liver reserve that will lead to liver failure after resection,extra-hepatic disease,proximity to major bile ducts and vessels,and co-morbidities.RFA has a low mortality and morbidity rate and is considered to be safe.Thus,complications occur and vary widely in the literature.Complications are caused by thermal damage,direct needle injury,infection and the patient’s co-morbidities.Tumor type,type of approach,number of lesions,tumor localization,underlying hepatic disease,the physician’s experience,associated hepatic resection and lesion size have been described as factors significantly associated with complications.The physician in charge should promptly recognize high-risk patients more susceptible to complications,perform a close post procedure follow-up and manage them early and adequately if they occur.We aim to describe complications from RFA of hepatic tumors and their risk factors,as well as a few techniques to avoid them.This way,others can decrease their morbidity rates with better outcomes.

Primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumor: A case report and literature review

Primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumors(PHNETs) are extremely rare and difficult to distinguish from other liver tumors, such as hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma, based on medical imaging findings. A 70-year-old man was referred for evaluation of liver mass incidentally discovered on abdominal computed tomography. The characteristic finding from dynamic liver magnetic resonance imaging led to a diagnosis of HCC. The patient underwent right hepatectomy. Histopathological and immunohistochemical examination revealed grade 2 neuroendocrine tumor. The postoperative 24-h urinary excretion of 5-hydroxy-indolacetic acid was within the normal range. Further imaging investigations were performed. No other lesions were found making probable the diagnosis of PHNET. This case shows that the diagnosis of PHNET is a medical challenge, requiring differentiation of PHNETs other hepatic masses and exclusion of occult primary neuroendocrine tumors. The diagnosis of PHNET can be ascertained after long term follow-up to exclude another primary origin.

Primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumor case with a preoperative course of 26 years: A case report and literature review

Primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumor(PHNET) is an extremely rare liver tumor. Patients often have no clinical symptoms or have only non-specific symptoms, such as abdominal pain and abdominal mass. The clinical manifestations, disease development, treatment methods, and treatment outcomes of PHNET vary greatly among cases. Here we report a case of PHNET with a confirmed 26-year survival before surgery. The patient was a 56-year-old female. A large right hepatic mass was detected when the patient was 30 years old. The tumor could not be removed during exploratory laparotomy, and constriction of the right hepatic artery and biopsy were conducted. Pathological results indicated a diagnosis of benign tumor, but a confirmed diagnosis was not reached. Twenty-six years after the patient had been living with the tumor, she sought treatment again because of tumor progression. After systematic evaluation of the resectability, the tumor was resected. Based on the examination results of the gastrointestinal tract and lungs, intraoperative examination results, pathological findings, and long-term follow-up results, the diagnosis of PHNET was confirmed. This case represents the longest reported survival time for a PHNET patient before removal of the tumor.

Hepatic inflammatory pseudotumor presenting in an 8-year-old boy: A case report and review of literature

Hepatic inflammatory pseudotumors are uncommon benign lesions.Accurately diagnosing hepatic inflammatory pseudotumor can be very challenging because the clinical presentation and radiological appearances are nonspecific and cannot be certainly distinguished from malignant neoplastic processes.Herein,we present a case of hepatic IPT in an 8-yearold boy who presented to clinic with a 3-mo history of a tender hepatic mass,fever of unknown origin,and9-kg weight loss.The physical examination was notable for tender hepatomegaly.Laboratory investigations were notable for a normal hepatic profile and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein.A T2-attenuated magnetic resonance imaging scan of the abdomen showed a 4.7 cm x 4.7 cm x 6.6cm,contrast-enhancing,hyper-intense,well-defined lesion involving the right hepatic lobe.In view of the unremitting symptoms,tender hepatomegaly,thrombosed right hepatic vein,nonspecific radiological findings,and high suspicion of a deep-seated underlying infection or malignancy,a right hepatic lobectomy was recommended.Microscopically,the hepatic lesion exhibited a mixture of inflammatory cells(histiocytes,plasma cells,mature lymphocytes,and occasional multinucleated giant cells) in a background of dense fibrous tissue.Immunohistochemically,the cells stained negative for SMA,ALK-1,CD-21 and CD-23,diffusely positive for CD-68,and focally positive for lgG4.The final histopathological diagnosis was consistent with hepatic IPT.At the postoperative 4-mo follow-up,the patient was asymptomatic without radiological evidence of recurrence.

Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombosis

AIM: To evaluate the prognostic factors and efficacy of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombosis. METHODS: Fifty hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) were treated using hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) via a subcutaneously implanted port. The epirubicin-cisplatin-5-fluorouracil (ECF) chemotherapeutic regimen consisted of 35 mg/m 2 epirubicin on day 1, 60 mg/m 2 cisplatin for 2 h on day 2, and 500 mg/m 2 5-fluorouracil for 5 h on days 1-3. The treatments were repeated every 3 or 4 wk. RESULTS: Three (6%) of the 50 patients achieved a complete response (CR), 13 (26%) showed partial responses (PR), and 22 (44%) had stable disease (SD).The median survival and time to progression were 7 and 2 mo, respectively. After 2 cycles of HAIC, CR was achieved in 1 patient (2%), PR in 10 patients (20%) and SD in 26 patients (52%). Significant pre-treatment prognostic factors were a tumor volume of < 400 cm 3 (P = 0.01) and normal levels of protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist (PIVKA)-Ⅱ (P = 0.022). After 2 cycles of treatment, disease control (CR + PR + SD) (P = 0.001), PVTT response (P = 0.003) and α-fetoprotein reduction of over 50% (P = 0.02) were independent factors for survival. Objective response (CR + PR), disease control, PVTT response, and combination therapy during the HAIC were also significant prognostic factors. Adverse events were tolerable and successfully managed. CONCLUSION: HAIC may be an effective treatment modality for advanced HCC with PVTT in patients with tumors < 400 cm 3 and good prognostic factors.

Transarterial embolization and low-dose continuous hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy with oxaliplatin and raltitrexed for hepatocellular carcinoma with major portal vein tumor thrombus

AIM To determine the efficacy and safety of transarterial embolization and low-dose continuous hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy with oxaliplatin and raltitrexed in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) with major portal vein tumor thrombus(MPVTT).METHODS eighty-six patients with MPVTT accepted routine embolization. The catheter was kept in the hepatic artery and oxaliplatin(50 mg in 250 m L of glucose) was infused by pump for 4 h,followed by raltitrexed(2 mg in 100 m L of 0.9% saline) infusion by pump for the next 1 h. The efficacy and safety were evaluated afterthe transarterial chemoembolization(TACe).RESULTS Full or partial embolization was achieved in 86 cases,where all the cases received low dose continuous hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy. Complete responses(CRs),partial responses(PRs),stable disease(SD),and disease progression(PD) for intrahepatic disease were observed in 0,45,20,and 21 patients,respectively. The 1-,2-and 3-year overall survival rates of the 86 patients were 40.7%,22.1%,and 8.1% respectively,and the median survival time was 8.7 mo. Complication was limited. CONCLUSION TACE with low dose continuous hepatic arterial infusion of oxaliplatin and raltitrexed could be an option in MPVTT patient; it was shown to be effective in patients with advanced HCC with MPVTT with less toxicity.

Hepatic progenitor cells in human liver tumor development

In recent years, the results of several studies suggest that human liver tumors can be derived from hepatic progenitor cells rather than from mature cell types. The available data indeed strongly suggest that most combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinomas arise from hepatic progenitor cells that retained their potential to differentiate into the hepatocytic and biliary lineages. Hepatic progenitor cells could also be the basis for some hepatocellular carcinomas and hepatocellular adenomas, although it is very difficult to determine the origin of an individual hepatocellular carcinoma. There is currently not enough data to make statements regarding a hepatic progenitor cell origin of cholangiocarcinoma. The presence of hepatic progenitor cell markers and the presence and extent of the cholangiocellular component are factors that are related to the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinomas and combined hepatocellular- cholangiocarcinomas, respectively.

Retrospective analysis of interventional treatment of hepatic metastasis from gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

Objective： To analyze the angiography appearance of liver metastases from gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors （GEP-NETs）, and evaluate the clinical efficacy and prognostic factors of interventional treatment for hepatic metastases. Methods： Fifty GEP-NETs patients with hepatic metastases were treated from January 2012 to December 2016, and received transarterial embolization （TAE） in the hepatic tumor or hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy （HAIC）. All patients received 179 times of the intervention therapy in total. Results： Blood supplies were identified in the 50 eases with angiography, which showed that 35 cases had abundant vessels, while 15 eases had poor blood supply. Twenty-two cases were found either collateral blood supply, or portal vein invasion or arterial-portal vein fistula. The best curative efficacy was complete remission （CR） in 4 cases, partial remission （PR） in 28 cases and stable disease （SD） in 18 eases during the process of treatment. The angiography （P=0.047） and the frequency of intervention （P=0.037） showed significantly statistical difference with Kaplan-Meier analysis. The Cox analysis showed that more than 3 times of interventional therapy was an independent prognostic factor. Conclusions： Interventional treatment is safe and effective for GEP-NETs, and is beneficial to patients with main hepatic metastases after endocrine therapy.

Hepatic perivascular epithelioid cell tumor in three patients

Perivascular epithelioid cell tumor （PEComa） is a rare, soft tissue tumor that can occur in various locations. The present report included three patients （one male and two females; age range, 25-51 years） with hepatic PEComas. The collected data included the clinical manifestations, diagnosis, management, treatment, and prognosis. Since it is difficult to diagnose hepatic PEComas by imaging, the patients were diagnosed by tumor tissue examination such as immunohistochemistry, which was positive for HMB-45, Melan-A, and SMA on all slides. The tumor was composed of diverse tissues including smooth muscle, adipose tissue, and thick-walled blood vessels. During the follow-up period, one of the tumors was malignant （double-positive for CD34 and Ki-67） and recurred 3 months after surgery. In addition, malignant hepatic PECo- mas were reviewed in the literature, indicating that the majority of hepatic PEComas are benign, but few hepatic PEComas exhibit malignant behaviors in older female patients （〉50 years of age） with abdominal discomfort and pain, larger tumor size （〉10 cm）, or positive staining for CD34 and Ki-67. In conclusion, there is no effective method to diagnose PEComas. Currently, the diagnosis of PEComas depends on immunohistochemical staining. Tumor resection and close follow-up are the principal methods for the management of PEComas.

Hepatic perivascular epithelioid cell tumor:Clinicopathological analysis of 26 cases with emphasis on disease management and prognosis

BACKGROUND Perivascular epithelioid cell tumor(PEComa)is an uncommon tumor of mesenchymal origin.Cases of PEComa in the liver are extremely rare.AIM To analyze the clinicopathological features and treatment of hepatic PEComa and to evaluate the prognosis after different treatments.METHODS Clinical and pathological data of 26 patients with hepatic PEComa were collected.All cases were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and clinical follow-up.RESULTS This study included 17 females and 9 males,with a median age of 50 years.Lesions were located in the left hepatic lobe in 13 cases,in the right lobe in 11,and in the caudate lobe in 2.The median tumor diameter was 6.5 cm.Light microscopy revealed that the tumor cells were mainly composed of epithelioid cells.The cytoplasm contained heterogeneous eosinophilic granules.There were thick-walled blood vessels,around which tumor cells were radially arranged.Immunohistochemical analysis of pigment-derived and myogenic markers in PEComas revealed that 25 cases were HMB45(+),23 were Melan-A(+),and 22 SMA(+).TFE3 and Desmin were negative in all cases.All the fluorescence in situ hybridization samples were negative for TFE3 gene break-apart probe.Tumor tissues were collected by extended hepatic lobe resection or simple hepatic tumor resection as the main treatments.Median follow-up was 62.5 mo.None of the patients had metastasis or recurrence,and there were no deaths due to the disease.CONCLUSION Hepatic PEComa highly expresses melanin and smooth muscle markers,and generally exhibits an inert biological behavior.The prognosis after extended hepatic lobe resection and simple hepatic tumor resection is semblable.

Clinical characteristics and outcome of primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumors after comprehensive therapy

BACKGROUND Primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumors(PHNETs),a group of neuroendocrine neoplasms,are extremely rare.There are only few case reports about PHNETs in the literature.The lack of large samples and multicenter research results in poor diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.AIM To discuss the clinical characteristics,diagnosis,and treatment of PHNETs and risk factors related to survival.METHODS We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data,imaging features,immunohistochemistry data,and treatment efficacy of 40 patients who were pathologically diagnosed with PHNETs and admitted to The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 1,2014 to November 15,2019.Finally,survival analysis was performed to identify the risk factors for survival.RESULTS The main symptoms and signs included intermittent abdominal pain(19 patients,47.5%)and bloating(8 patients,20.0%).The positive rates of tested tumor markers were recorded as follows:Carbohydrate antigen 19-9(CA19-9)(6 patients,15.0%),CA72-4(3 patients,7.5%),carcinoembryonic antigen(7 patients,17.5%),and alpha-fetoprotein(6 patients,15.0%).Immunohistochemical staining results showed positivity for Syn in 38(97.4%)of 39 patients,for chromogranin A in 17(65.4%)of 26 patients,for CD56 in 35(94.6%)of 37 patients,for AE1/AE3 in 28(87.5%)of 32 patients,and for Ki-67 in all 40(100.0%)patients.The overall survival rate was significantly related to the tumor grade,AE1/AE3,and Ki-67.tumor number,tumor size,metastasis,and treatment)and overall survival.CONCLUSION Higher grade,negative AE1/AE3,and higher Ki-67 are associated with a worse survival rate.Kinds of treatment and other parameters have no significant influence on overall survival.

Prognostic value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio for hepatocellular carcinoma patients with portal/hepatic vein tumor thrombosis

AIM To investigate whether the preoperative neutrophil-tolymphocyte ratio(NLR) could predict the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) patients with portal/hepatic vein tumor thrombosis(PVTT/HVTT) after hepatectomy.METHODS The study population included 81 HCC patients who underwent hepatectomy and were diagnosed with PVTT/HVTT based on pathological examination. The demographics, laboratory analyses, and histopathology data were analyzed.RESULTS Overall survival(OS) and disease-free survival(DFS) were determined in the patients with a high(> 2.9) and low(≤ 2.9) NLR. The median OS and DFS duration in the high NLR group were significantly shorter than those in the low NLR group(OS: 6.2 mo vs 15.7 mo, respectively, P = 0.007; DFS: 2.2 mo vs 3.7 mo, respectively, P = 0.039). An NLR > 2.9 was identified as an independent predictor of a poor prognosis of OS(P = 0.034, HR = 1.866; 95%CI: 1.048-3.322) in uni-and multivariate analyses. Moreover, there was a significantly positive correlation between the NLR and the Child-Pugh score(r = 0.276, P = 0.015) and the maximum diameter of the tumor(r = 0.435, P < 0.001). Additionally, the NLR could enhance the prognostic predictive power of the CLIP score for DFS in these patients. CONCLUSION The preoperative NLR is a prognostic predictor after hepatectomy for HCC patients with PVTT/HVTT. NLR > 2.9 indicates poorer OS and DFS.

Malignant hepatic vascular tumors in adults: Characteristics,diagnostic difficulties and current management

Malignant vascular tumors of the liver include rare primary hepatic mesenchymal tumors developed in the background of a normal liver parenchyma. Most of them are detected incidentally by the increased use of performing imaging techniques. Their diagnosis is challenging, involving clinical and imaging criteria, with final confirmation by histology and immunohistochemistry. Surgery represents the mainstay of treatment. Liver transplantation(LT) has improved substantially the prognosis of hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma(HEHE), with 5-year patient survival rates of up to 81%, based on the European Liver Intestine Transplantation AssociationEuropean Liver Transplant Registry study. Unfortunately, the results of surgery and LT are dismal in cases of hepatic angiosarcoma(HAS). Due to the disappointing results of very short survival periods of approximately 6-7 mo after LT, because of tumor recurrence and rapid progression of the disease, HAS is considered an absolute contraindication to LT. Recurrences after surgical resection are high in cases of HEHE and invariably present in cases of HAS. The discovery of reliable prognostic markers and the elaboration of prognostic scores following LT are needed to provide the best therapeutic choice for each patient.Studies on a few patients have demonstrated the stabilization of the disease in a proportion of patients with hepatic vascular tumors using novel targeted antiangiogenic agents, cytokines or immunotherapy. These new approaches,alone or in combination with other therapeutic modalities, such as surgery and classical chemotherapy, need further investigation to assess their role in prolonging patient survival. Personalized therapeutic algorithms according to the histopathological features, behavior, molecular biology and genetics of the tumors should be elaborated in the near future for the management of patients diagnosed with primary malignant vascular tumors of the liver.

Effect of primary tumor side on survival outcomes in metastatic colorectal cancer patients after hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy

AIM To analyze the survival data between patients diagnosed with right-sided primary(RSP) tumors and patients diagnosed with left-sided primary(LSP) tumors after hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy(HAIC) at our center.METHODS A retrospective analysis of pretreated metastatic colorectal cancer patients who received HAIC from May 2006 to August 2015 was conducted. A Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was used to assess the long-term survival outcomes. The mean and median age of patients was 61 years(range 27-85 years). There were 115 males and 53 females in our study.RESULTS One hundred sixty-eight patients were enrolled in this study. The overall response rate was 28.9% in LSP patients and 27.3% in RSP patients. The disease control rate was 76.3% in LSP patients and 69.7% in RSP patients. The median overall survival in response to HAIC was 16.3 mo in the LSP arm and 9.3 mo in the RSP arm(P = 0.164). The median progression-free survival was 5.7 mo in the LSP arm and 4.2 mo in the RSP arm(P = 0.851).CONCLUSION There was no significant difference in survival between LSP patients and RSP patients after HAIC. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Successful surgical resection of ruptured cholangiolocellular carcinoma:A rare case of a primary hepatic tumor

Spontaneous rupture is one of the most fatal complications of hepatic tumors such as hepatocellular carcinoma. In fact, many studies have shown that the in-hospital and 30-d mortality rates are as high as 25%-100%. Cholangiolocellular carcinoma(Co CC) is a rare primary hepatic tumor, usually small in size, that is thought to originate from the ductules and/or canals of Hering. Here, we present a case of spontaneous rupture of a Co CC that was successfully resected by radical surgery. Although Co CC is a rare primary hepatic tumor, it demonstrates certain specific clinical features, including a better prognosis than for other primary liver cancers, and thus should be distinguished from those other cancers. Moreover, Co CC can appear as a ruptured huge tumor, and when it does, radical hepatectomy can be an effective measure to achieve both absolute hemostasis and curability of tumor.

Efficacy of 5-Fluorouracil and High-Concentration Cisplatin Suspended in Lipiodol by Short-Term Hepatic Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Portal Vein Tumor Thrombosis

Background: Since advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is potentially fatal, and patients’ quality of life (QOL) often deteriorates during their treatment, improving the prognosis and QOL of patients given chemotherapy is very important. In addition, cost-effective treatments are highly desirable when chemotherapy must be given repeatedly. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and usefulness of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and high-concentration cisplatin by short-term hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (3-day FPL) in advanced HCC patients. Methods: Thirty patients with unresectable advanced HCC were enrolled. The patients underwent hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy via the implanted port system with 5-FU on days 1 - 3 and a fine-powder formulation of cisplatin in suspended pre-warmed lipiodol on day 2 every 4 to 10 weeks. Tumor response was assessed one month later with CT. Results: All patients had evidence of portal vein invasion (Vp2-4). Four patients achieved a complete response (CR), 8 patients achieved a partial response (PR), and 7 patients had stable disease (SD). The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 198 days and 452 days, respectively. The OS was significantly longer in the successful disease control group (CR, PR, and SD) than in the progressive disease group (P < 0.005). Conclusions: Three-day FPL was effective and tolerable in advanced HCC patients due to its shorter time of administration than conventional FP therapy. Therefore, repetitive 3-day FPL appears useful and contributes to improving the prognosis and QOL of patients with advanced HCC. In addition, this protocol is a cost-effective treatment.

In vivo assessment of intratumoral aspirin injection to treat hepatic tumors

AIM: To study the antineoplastic efficacy of 10% aspirin intralesional injection on VX2 hepatic tumors in a rabbit model. METHODS: Thirty-two male rabbits (age: 6-9 wk; body weight: 1700-2500 g) were inoculated with VX2 hepatic tumor cells (104 cells/rabbit) via supraumbilical median laparotomy. On day 4 post-implantation, when the tumors were about 1 cm in diameter, the rabbits were randomly divided into the following groups (n = 8 each group) to assess early (24 h) and late (7 d) antineoplastic effects of intratumoral injection of 10% bicarbonate aspirin solution (experimental groups) in comparison to intratumoral injection of physiological saline solution (control groups): group 1, 24 h control; group 2, 24 h experimental; group 3, 7 d control; group 4, 7 d experimental. The serum biochemistry profile (measurements of glycemia, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, aspartateaminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase) and body weight measurements were obtained for all animals at the following time points: D0, before tumor implant; D4, day of treatment; D5, day of sacrifice for groups 1 and 2; D11, day of sacrifice for groups 3 and 4. Gross assessments of the abdominal and thoracic cavities were carried out upon sacrifice. The resected liver tissues, including hepatic tumors, were qualitatively (general morphology, signs of necrosis) and quantitatively (tumor area) assessed by histopathological analysis. RESULTS: Gross examination showed no alterations, besides the left hepatic lobe tumors, had occurred in the thoracic and abdominal cavities of any animal at any time point evaluated. However, the features of the tumor foci were distinctive between the groups. Compared to the control groups, which showed normal unabated tumor progression, the aspirin-treated groups showed imprecise but limited tumor boundaries and a general red-white coloration (indicating hemorrhaging) at 24 h post-treatment, and development of yellow-white areas of a cicatricial aspect at 7 d after treatment. At all time points evaluated, all except one biochemical parameters tested within the reference range (P > 0.05); a significant increase was detected in the alkaline phosphatase level of the control group 3 on D11 (P < 0.05). At 24 h post-treatment, the aspirintreated groups showed extensive coagulation necrosis accompanied by a remarkable absence of viable tumor foci; at 7 d after treatment, the tumors had completely disappeared in these animals and fibrous necrotic nod- ules had developed. In contrast, throughout the study course, the tumors of the control groups remained unchanged, showing tumor nodules without necrosis at the time point corresponding to 24 h post-treatment and increased amounts of tumor nodules at the time point corresponding to 7 d post-treatment. Quantitative analysis of the remaining tumor area revealed that the aspirin-treated groups had significantly smaller tumor foci at 24 h post-treatment (8.5% ± 0.7%) andat 7 d after treatment (11.0% ± 4.2%), compared to those in the control groups (24 h: 98.5% ± 1.5% and 7 d: 94.0% ± 2.7%; both,P < 0.005). CONCLUSION: Intralesional injection of a 10% aspirin solution causes destruction of VX2 hepatic tumors in rabbits without evidence of relapse at 7 d after treat- ment administration.

Radiofrequency ablation in the management of primary hepatic and biliary tumors

In the United States,80%-90%of primary hepatic tumors are hepatocellular carcinomas and 10%-15%are cholangiocarcinomas(CCA),both with high mortality rate,particularly CCA,which portends a worse prognosis.Traditional management with surgery has good outcomes in appropriately selected patients;however,novel ablative treatment options have emerged,such as radiofrequency ablation(RFA),which can improve the prognosis of both hepatic and biliary tumors.RFA is aimed to generate an area of necrosis within the targeted tissue by applying thermal therapy via an electrode,with a goal to completely eradicate the tumor while preserving surrounding healthy tissue.Role of RFA in management of hepatic and biliary tumors forms the focus of our current mini-review article.