In 2022, there were 367.7 thousands new cases and 316.5 thousands deaths of primary liver cancer in China. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is one of the radical treatments for liver cancer. It has the characteristics of definite curative effect, minimal invasion and low cost. In patients with early liver cancer, the curative effect is similar to surgical resection. The concept and practice of precision surgery provide new ideas for improving the efficacy of RFA. Based on the RFA treatment experience of more than ten thousand cases, the author’s team has carried out research on the precise ablation treatment of primary liver cancer. Now, the author will combine the existing literature and our team’s experience to discuss the application and prospect of the precise surgery concept in RFA treatment.
ObjectiveTo discuss the effects of diabetes mellitus (DM) on gastrointestinal hormone changes before and after hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) operation. MethodsThe clinical data of 143 patients with HCC treated in this hospital from April 2007 to Febuary 2010 were analyzed, which 43 patients with DM (DM group) and 100 patients without DM (NDM group). Gastrin (GAS) and motilin (MTL) levels were measured on day 3 before operation and on day 1, 2, and 7 after operation. Results① The blood MTL levels decreased and GAS levels increased on day 1, 2, and 7 after operation as compared with the levels before operation (all Plt;0.05). ② The blood MTL level and GAS level before operation in the DM group was higher than that in the NDM group (Plt;0.05), MTL level decreased while GAS level increased more significantly on day 1, 2, and 7 after operation (Plt;0.05). ③ The first anus exhausting time of patients with NDM was much earlier than that with DM (Plt;0.05). ④ The first anus exhausting time with DM over 10 years and fasting plasma glucose over 10 mmo1/L was obviously extended (Plt;0.05). ConclusionDM affectes GAS and MTL level changes after HCC operation, recovery of gastrointestinal function would be delayed if patients with long course of DM and poor control of plasma glucose.
Indocyanine green fluorescence imaging has been widely used in hepatobiliary surgery, which can guide accurate hepatectomy and improve the prognosis of patients. Lipiodol–indocyanine green emulsion as a pure physical way to prepare lipiodol-drug mixed solvent can be used for primary interventional embolization and subsequent fluorescence-guided hepatectomy. In this paper, the application of iodized oil-indocyanine green emulsion in hepatectomy was summarized by reviewing relevant research progress at home and abroad, and further discussion and prospect were made.
Liver cancer is one of the world’s most prevalent malignancies, and is also the third leading cause of cancer death in China. Hepatitis and cirrhosis background is a major feature of liver cancer patients in China, which makes specific requirements that suits the national conditions in many aspects of prevention and control like screening diagnosis, treatment options, and prognosis follow-up. The Specifications for Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Liver Cancer (2017 Edition), which is based on China’s practice, proposes liver cancer staging in line with China’s national conditions and forms a multi-disciplinary joint diagnosis and treatment model based on surgical treatment. Liver transplantation is included in liver cancer as one of the surgical treatments option. It also emphasizes the support of evidence-based medicine. The Specifications for Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Liver Cancer (2017 Edition) may have laid a solid foundation for future diagnosis and treatment of liver cancer in China.
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of pipecolic acid oxidase (PIPOX) on the proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion of primary liver cancer cells. MethodsImmunohistochemical staining and analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were used to examine the PIPOX expression levels in liver cancer tissues and paired adjacent normal tissues, and studied their relationship with patient prognosis. Liver cancer cell lines stably overexpressing or knocking out PIPOX were constructed to explore PIPOX’s impact on liver cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion by conducting in vitro functional experiments such as CCK-8, EdU, apoptosis detection, and Transwell assays. In vivo, nude mice subcutaneous tumor models and lung metastasis models were used to verify PIPOX’s effect on liver cancer growth and metastasis. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot were both employed to detect the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers in liver cancer cells. ResultsImmunohistochemical staining and TCGA database analysis revealed that PIPOX expression was significantly lower in liver cancer tissues compared to paired adjacent normal tissues (P<0.05). Prognostic analysis indicated shorter overall survival and disease-free survival in PIPOX low expression group (P<0.05). In vitro gain- and loss-of-function experiments showed that PIPOX significantly inhibited liver cancer cell migration and invasion (P<0.05), while having no significant effects on their proliferation and apoptosis (P>0.05). Animal experiments also confirmed that PIPOX significantly inhibited liver cancer lung metastasis (P<0.05), but had no significant effects on tumor growth (P>0.05). Finally, RT-qPCR and western blot results revealed that PIPOX promoted the expression of the epithelial marker E-cadherin (P<0.05) and inhibited the expression of mesenchymal markers (N-cadherin, vimentin, Snail) (P<0.05). ConclusionsPIPOX significantly inhibits liver cancer cell migration and invasion, potentially via suppressing the EMT process. However, PIPOX does not significantly affect liver cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis.
ObjectiveTo summarize clinical application progress of stereotactic radiotherapy for primary hepatocellular carcinoma. MethodsThe literatures about the research progress of the stereotactic radiotherapy for primary hepatocellular carcinoma were reviewed. ResultsRadiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma is importantly based on the radiation biology of the liver and the radiophysics of the liver cancer. Stereotactic precision radiotherapy is an effective and low toxic treatment for early hepatocellular carcinoma, moreover, it alone or in combination with microwave ablation, hepatic artery chemoembolization for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma is safe and effective method for the treatment. ConclusionsThe optimal dose model for hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma radical dose level are problems that need further exploration, and radiobiology, radiation physics research must be strengthened to explore it, stereotactic precision radiotherapy treatment modalities in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma position will become increasingly people attention.
Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with thermotherapy for primary hepatic carcinoma (PHC), and to provide references for clinical practice and research. Methods The following databases as The Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMbase, CBM, CNKI, VIP and WanFang Data were searched electronically, and the other sources as supplying, such as tracing related references, were also retrieved. Besides, some unknown information was also obtained by communicating with other authors. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on TACE combined with thermotherapy versus TACE alone were collected. The literature was screened according to inclusive criteria, data were extracted and the quality of included studies was assessed, and then meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.1 software. Results A total of 17 RCTs with 907 patients were included. Meta-analysis showed that compared with TACE alone, TACE combined with thermotherapy had a significant difference in 1-year survival rate (HR=2.40, 95%CI 1.65 to 3.48, Plt;0.000 01), 2-year survival rate (HR=3.28, 95%CI 1.87 to 5.76, Plt;0.000 1), total effective rate (RR=1.59, 95%CI 1.42 to 1.79, Plt;0.000 1) and improvement rate of life quality (RR=1.79, 95%CI 1.42 to 2.25, Plt;0.000 1). The incidences of myelosuppression and alimentary canal reactions were lower in TACE combined with thermotherapy group than those in TACE alone group, but statistically significance was only found in myelosuppression (RR=0.79, 95%CI 0.69 to 0.92, P=0.001). Conclusion Compared with TACE alone, TACE combined with thermotherapy can improve long-term survival rate and short-term curative effect, ameliorate the quality of life, and tend to reduce the incidence rate of side effects. But its long-term curative effect and more comprehensive safety still needs to be further verified by more large sample and high quality RCTs.