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.

Individualized anti-thrombotic therapy for acute myocardial infarction complicated with left ventricular thrombus: A case report

BACKGROUND Presently,there is no established standard anti-blood clot therapy for patients facing acute myocardial infarction(AMI)complicated by left ventricular thrombus(LVT).While vitamin K antagonists are the preferred choice for oral blood thinning,determining the best course of blood-thinning medication remains challenging.It is unclear if non-vitamin K antagonist oral blood thinners have different effectiveness in treating LVT.This study significantly contributes to the medical community.CASE SUMMARY The blood-thinning treatment of a patient with AMI and LVT was analyzed.Triple blood-thinning therapy included daily enteric-coated aspirin tablets at 0.1 g,daily clopidogrel hydrogen sulfate at 75 mg,and dabigatran etexilate at 110 mg twice daily.After 15 d,the patient’s LVT did not decrease but instead increased.Clinical pharmacists comprehensively analyzed the cases from the perspective of the patient’s disease status and drug interaction.The drug regimen was reformulated for the patient,replacing dabigatran etexilate with warfarin,and was administered for six months.The clinical pharmacist provided the patient with professional and standardized pharmaceutical services.The patient’s condition was discharged after meeting the international normalized ratio value(2-3)criteria.The patient fully complied with the follow-up,and the time in the therapeutic range was 78.57%,with no serious adverse effects during pharmaceutical monitoring.CONCLUSION Warfarin proves to be an effective drug for patients with AMI complicated by LVT,and its blood-thinning course lasts for six months.

Surgical treatment of left-sided renal carcinoma with grade II inferior vena cava tumour thrombus: a report and review of the literature

The surgical removal of renal cancer,along with the thrombectomy of the inferior vena cava tumour thrombus,represents a remarkable milestone in urological surgery.This procedure is not only technically demanding but also requires a high level of surgical expertise.Managing renal cancer combined with a vena cava tumour thrombus poses significant challenges,especially when dealing with combined grade Ⅱ-Ⅳ inferior vena cava tumour thrombus.The complexity of these cases is further exacerbated by the delicate anatomical structures involved and the need to preserve critical vessels while effectively removing the tumour.The Upper Urethral Tumour Treatment Centre of Weifang People's Hospital successfully treated a challenging case of left renal tumour combined with grade II inferior vena cava tumour thrombus.The surgical team,led by experienced urological surgeons,meticulously planned and executed the procedure,ensuring minimal trauma to the patient and complete removal of the tumour.This achievement not only demonstrates the hospital's commitment to providing state-of-the-art surgical care but also highlights the importance of continued research and training in urological oncology.The successful outcome of this case is a testament to the expertise and dedication of the medical team and offers hope to patients facing similar complex surgical challenges.

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.

Anticoagulation therapy for pulmonary embolism involving a myxoma mimicking, giant type C thrombus: A case report

Right heart thrombus(RHTh) with concurrent acute pulmonary embolism(PE) is rare and can seriously destabilize hemodynamics, leading to an emergency situation with high mortality. Diagnosis and treatment of RHTh with acute PE are not yet standardized. There are few reports of acute PE concurrent with RHTh and even less is known about patients with a right heart mural thrombus. For physicians, the diagnostic choice and treatment of these patients are particularly difficult due to the lack of knowledge. Here, we report a rare case of partial mural RHTh(type C RHTh) with acute PE. The mural mass in the right heart was initially diagnosed as atrial myxoma according to transthoracic echocardiography(TTE), and both pulmonary embolus and the mural mass were completely absorbed after administering Rivaroxiban. This case suggests that TTE alone is insufficient to identify and diagnoses a right heart mural mass such as this. However, novel oral anticoagulants may be effective at alleviating PE with type C RHTh.

How to effectively manage the refractory coronary thrombus? A systemic mini-review

The main management principle for patients with coronary thrombus should be “more removal and less implantation”.Routine thrombus aspiration(TA) is ineffective for intracoronary thrombus or high residual thrombus burden after TA and may result in a refractory coronary thrombus.It is unwise to implant a stent in the vessel with high residual thrombus,which is associated with no-reflow,impaired microvascular perfusion,and consequently worse clinical outcomes.Therefore,increasing the efficiency of TA during percutaneous coronary intervention procedures,especially under some conditions of refractory coronary thrombus,is very important to restore myocardial reperfusion and improve microvascular dysfunction early.In the present work,we aimed to demonstrate the factors that may affect TA efficiency and introduce several highly effective approaches to treat refractory coronary thrombus.

Successful treatment of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation complicated with left ventricular thrombus by intravenous thrombolysis:A case report

BACKGROUND Left ventricular thrombus is a rare condition,for which appropriate treatments are not extensively studied.Although it can be treated by thrombectomy,such surgery can be difficult and risky,and not every patient can tolerate the surgery.CASE SUMMARY We report a case of a middle-aged man receiving veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(VA-ECMO)for acute myocardial infarction who developed left ventricular thrombus despite systemic anticoagulation.After systemic thrombolysis with urokinase,the left ventricular thrombus disappeared,ECMO was successfully withdrawn 9 days later,and the patient recovered and was discharged from hospital.CONCLUSION Systemic thrombolysis is a treatment option for left ventricular thrombus in addition to anticoagulation and thrombectomy.

Successful surgical resection of large hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus after conversion therapy with mFOLFOX-HAIC combined with donafenib and sintilimab:two case reports and a literature review

The aim of our study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of m FOLFOX-HAIC combined with donafenib and sintilimab conversion therapy followed by surgical resection of large hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus(PVTT).The clinical data of two patients with large hepatocellular carcinoma who were admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University were retrospectively collected.Both patients received m FOLFOX-HAIC combined with donafenib and sintilimab conversion therapy,followed by hepatectomy.Clinical data were reported,and clinical efficacy was evaluated.One patient had a 14.5×11.1 cm tumor with a tumor thrombus in the right portal vein.The other patient had a 12.1×8.3 cm tumor with portal and hepatic vein tumor thrombi.Both patients had CNLC stageⅢa prior to conversion therapy,which was reduced to stageⅠb after conversion therapy.Subsequently,the patient underwent open and laparoscopic right hemihepatectomies.Short-term high-intensity conversion therapy with m FOLFOXHAIC combined with donafenib and sintilimab is a feasible and effective treatment for patients with large hepatocellular carcinoma with PVTT.

Ultrasound Traced the Embolization of Lower Extremity Artery to Left Ventricular Thrombus: A Case Report

This paper reports a case of a 38-year-old young man with a lower extremity arterial thrombus diagnosed by ultrasound, which was traced back to the left ventricular thrombus. By reviewing the relevant literature, the relationship between lower extremity arterial thrombosis and left ventricular thrombosis is described, and which examination method is the most valuable in the diagnosis of thrombosis is discussed.

Diagnostic challenges from conflicting results of tests and imaging

Accurate diagnosis is the foundation of clinical care but accurate diagnosis is not easily reached in some cases.In rare instances,even a sophisticated multidisciplinary team at an academic medical center cannot reliably reach an accurate diagnosis after extensive testing and imaging,and has to wait until histological diagnosis or even autopsy results are available.The underlying reason of challenging diagnoses is mostly conflicting data from history,tests,and imaging that point to different diagnoses.In this issue of World Journal of Clinical Cases,Huffaker et al reported such a challenging case of a tricuspid mass in a patient with Li-Fraumeni syndrome.The case by Huffaker et al powerfully illustrates the occasional diagnostic challenges inherent in our current diagnostic approach and the current technology.Clinicians should realize that in rare situations,agnosticism in diagnosis is unavoidable but a treatment has to be initiated so long as the principle of primum non nocere is upheld.

Tricuspid mass-curious case of Li-Fraumeni syndrome: A case report

BACKGROUND Li-Fraumeni syndrome(LFS)is a rare autosomal dominant cancer-predisposing syndrome,which can manifest as a polymorphic spectrum of malignancies.LFS is associated with an early onset in life,with the majority of cases occurring prior to the age of 46.Notwithstanding the infrequency of primary cardiac tumors,it behooves clinicians to remain vigilant in considering the differential diagnosis of such tumors in LFS patients who present with a cardiac mass.This is due to the markedly elevated risk for malignancy in this particular population,far surpassing that of the general populace.CASE SUMMARY Herein,we present a case of a 30-year-old female with LFS who was found to have a tricuspid valve leaflet mass.CONCLUSION This case exemplifies valuable learning points in the diagnostic approach for this exceptionally rare patient population.

Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma in India: Are we ready for 2040?

BACKGROUND Liver transplantation(LT)for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)has been widely researched and is well established worldwide.The cornerstone of this treatment lies in the various criteria formulated by expert consensus and experience.The variations among the criteria are staggering,and the short-and long-term outcomes are controversial.AIM To study the differences in the current practices of LT for HCC at different centers in India and discuss their clinical implications in the future.METHODS We conducted a survey of major centers in India that performed LT in December 2022.A total of 23 responses were received.The centers were classified as high-and low-volume,and the current trend of care for patients undergoing LT for HCC was noted.RESULTS Of the 23 centers,35%were high volume center(>500 Liver transplants)while 52%were high-volume centers that performed more than 50 transplants/year.Approximately 39%of centers had performed>50 LT for HCC while the percent distribution for HCC in LT patients was 5%–15%in approximately 73%of the patients.Barring a few,most centers were divided equally between University of California,San Francisco(UCSF)and center-specific criteria when choosing patients with HCC for LT,and most(65%)did not have separate transplant criteria for deceased donor LT and living donor LT(LDLT).Most centers(56%)preferred surgical resection over LT for a Child A cirrhosis patient with a resectable 4 cm HCC lesion.Positron-emission tomography-computed tomography(CT)was the modality of choice for metastatic workup in the majority of centers(74%).Downstaging was the preferred option for over 90%of the centers and included transarterial chemoembolization,transarterial radioembolization,stereotactic body radiotherapy and atezolizumab/bevacizumab with varied indications.The alphafetoprotein(AFP)cut-off was used by 74%of centers to decide on transplantation as well as to downstage tumors,even if they met the criteria.The criteria for successful downstaging varied,but most centers conformed to the UCSF or their center-specific criteria for LT,along with the AFP cutoff values.The wait time for LT from downstaging was at least 4–6 wk in all centers.Contrast-enhanced CT was the preferred imaging modality for post-LT surveillance in 52%of the centers.Approximately 65%of the centers preferred to start everolimus between 1 and 3 months post-LT.CONCLUSION The current predicted 5-year survival rate of HCC patients in India is less than 15%.The aim of transplantation is to achieve at least a 60%5-year disease free survival rate,which will provide relief to the prediction of an HCC surge over the next 20 years.The current worldwide criteria(Milan/UCSF)may have a higher 5-year survival(>70%);however,the majority of patients still do not fit these criteria and are dependent on other suboptimal modes of treatment,with much lower survival rates.To make predictions for 2040,we must prepare to arm ourselves with less stringent selection criteria to widen the pool of patients who may undergo transplantation and have a chance of a better outcome.With more advanced technology and better donor outcomes,LDLT will provide a cutting edge in the fight against liver cancer over the next two decades.

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.

Des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin and alpha-fetoprotein levels as biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma and their correlation with radiological characteristics

BACKGROUND Alpha-fetoprotein(AFP),a commonly used biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),is normal in up to one-third of patients.AIM To evaluate the diagnostic performance of des-gamma-carboxy-prothrombin(DCP)alone and in combination with AFP.METHODS In this study,202 patients with radiologically proven HCC were enrolled,and their DCP and AFP levels were evaluated for their diagnostic performance.RESULTS The mean age of the enrolled patients was 58.5 years;72.0%were male.DCP was elevated in 86.6%(n=175)of all patients,100.0%(n=74)of patients with portal vein thrombus,and 87.4%(n=111)of patients with multicentric HCC.AFP was elevated in 64.3%(n=130)of all the patients,74%(n=55)of the patients with portal vein thrombus,and 71.6%(n=91)of the patients with multicentric HCC(P=0.030,0.001,and 0.015,respectively).In tumors less than 2 cm in size(n=46),DCP was increased in 32(69.5%)patients,and AFP was increased in 25(54.3%)patients(P=0.801).There was good pairing between DCP and AFP for HCCs of 2 cm size or larger(P<0.001);however,the pairing among tumors<2 cm size was not significant(P=0.210).In 69 of the patients(34.1%),only one of the tumor markers was positive;DCP was elevated alone in 57/202(28.2%)of all patients,and AFP alone was elevated in 12/202(5.9%)of the patients.The areas under receiver operating characteristic curves(AUROC)for tumors>2 cm was 0.74 for DCP and 0.59 for AFP;combining both markers resulted in an AUROC of 0.73.For tumors<2 cm,the AUROC was 0.25 for DCP and 0.40 for AFP.CONCLUSION DCP,as an individual marker,had a better diagnostic performance in many cases of HCC.Hence,DCP may replace AFP as the primary HCC biomarker.

Better surgical treatment method for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombus(PVTT) is a disease that is not uncommon, but the treatments vary drastically between Eastern and Western countries. In Europe and America, the first line of treatment is systemic therapy such as sorafenib and the surgical treatment is not a recommend option. While an increasing number of studies from China and Japan have suggested that surgical treatment results in better outcomes when compared to transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE), sorafenib, or other nonsurgical treatments, and two classification systems, Japanese Vp classification and Chinese Cheng's classification, were very useful to guide the surgical treatment. We have also found that surgical treatment may be more effective, as we have performed surgical treatment for HCC-PVTT patients over a period of approximately 15 years and achieved good results with the longest surviving time being 13 years and onward. In this study, we review the efficacy and principles of current surgical treatments and introduce our new, more effective surgical technique named "thrombectomy first", which means the tumor thrombus in the main portal vein, the bifurcation or the contralateral portal vein should be removed prior to liver resection. Thus, compression and crushing of PVTT during the operation could be avoided and new intrahepatic metastases caused by tumor thrombus to the remnant liver minimized. The new technique is even beneficial to the prognosis of Cheng's classification Types Ⅲ and Ⅳ PVTT. The vital tips and tricks for the surgical approach are described.

Comprehensive treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma with tumor thrombus in major portal vein

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoembolisation(TACE) compared with surgical intervention and sorafenib for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) in patients with tumor thrombus extending to the main portal vein.METHODS: From 2009 to 2013, a total of 418 HCC patients with tumor thrombus extending to the main portal vein were enrolled in this study and divided into four groups. These groups underwent different treatments as follows: TACE(n = 307), surgical intervention(n = 54), sorafenib(n = 15) and palliativetreatment(n = 42). Overall survival rates were determined by Kaplan-Meier method, and differences between the groups were identified through log-rank analysis. Cox's proportional hazard model was used to identify the risk factors for survival.RESULTS: The mean survival periods for patients in the TACE, surgical intervention, sorafenib and palliative treatment groups were 10.39, 4.13, 5.54 and 2.82 mo, respectively. For the TACE group, the 3-, 6-, 12-and 24-mo survival rates were 94.1%, 85.9%, 51.5% and 0.0%, respectively. The corresponding rates were 60.3%, 22.2%, 0.0% and 0.0% for the surgical intervention group and 50.9%, 29.5%, 0.0% and 0.0% for the sorafenib group. Evidently, the results in the TACE group were significantly higher than those in the other groups(P < 0.0001). Furthermore, no significant difference among survival rates was observed between TACE with/without sorafenib(10.22 mo vs 10.52 mo, P = 0.615). No significant difference in survival rates was also found among the surgical intervention, sorafenib and palliative treatment groups(P > 0.05). These values significantly increased after TACE with/without sorafenib compared with other treatments(P < 0.05).CONCLUSION: For HCC patients with tumor thrombus extending to the main portal vein, TACE can yield a higher survival rate than surgical intervention or sorafenib treatment.

Diagnosis of bile duct hepatocellular carcinoma thrombus without obvious intrahepatic mass

AIM:To study the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)presenting as bile duct tumor thrombus with no detectable intrahepatic mass.METHODS:Six patients with pathologically proven bile duct HCC thrombi but no intrahepatic mass demonstrated on the preoperative imaging or palpated intrahepatic mass during operative exploration,were collected.Their clinical and imaging data were retrospectively analyzed.The major findings or signs on comprehensive imaging were correlated with the surgical and pathologic findings.RESULTS:Jaundice was the major clinical symptom of the patients.The elevated serum total bilirubin,direct bilirubin and alanine aminotransferase levels were in concordance with obstructive jaundice and the underlying liver disease.Of the 6 patients showing evidence of viral hepatitis,5 were positive for serum alpha fetoprotein and carbohydrate antigen 19-9,and 1 was positive for serum carcinoembryonic antigen.No patient was correctly diagnosed by ultrasound.The main features of patients on comprehensive imaging were filling defects with cup-shaped ends of the bile duct,with large filling defects presenting as casting moulds in the expanded bile duct,hypervascular intraluminal nodules,debris or blood clots in the bile duct.No obvious circular thickening of the bile duct walls was observed.CONCLUSION:Even with no detectable intrahepatic tumor,bile duct HCC thrombus should be considered in patients predisposed to HCC,and some imaging signs are indicative of its diagnosis.

Thrombus aspiration in acute myocardial infarction:Rationale and indication

Reperfusion of myocardial tissue is the main goal of primary percutaneous coronary intervention(PPCI) with stent implantation in the treatment of acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI). Although PPCI has contributed to a dramatic reduction in cardiovascular mortality over three decades, normal myocardial perfusion is not restored in approximately one-third of these patients. Several mechanisms may contribute to myocardial reperfusion failure, in particular distal embolization of the thrombus and plaque fragments. In fact, this is a possible complication during PPCI, resulting in microvascular obstruction and no-reflow phenomenon. The presence of a visible thrombus at the time of PPCI in patients with STEMI is associated with poor procedural and clinical outcomes. Aspiration thrombectomy during PPCI has been proposed to prevent embolization in order to improve these outcomes. In fact, the most recent guidelines suggest the routine use of manual aspiration thrombectomy during PPCI(class Ⅱa) to reduce the risk of distal embolization. Even though numerous international studies have been reported, there are conflicting results on the clinical impact of aspiration thrombectomy during PPCI. In particular, data on long-term clinical outcomes are still inconsistent. In this review, we have carefully analyzed literature data on thrombectomy during PPCI, taking into account the most recent studies and meta-analyses.

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.