[Surgical treatment of patients with stage IV a liver carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE: To study the result of surgical treatment of patients with stage IV a primary liver carcinoma (PLC). METHODS: Twenty-seven patients with stage IV a PLC treated in 1989-1998 were retrospectively studied. The patients could be divided into 2 groups: (1) The resected group(19 cases) and (2) cytoreductive group(8 cases). Intra-operative B-ultrasound was used to prevent missing of any tumor nodules. Unresectable residual nodules were treated by ethanol injection. Multidisciplinary treatment was given in the perioperative period. RESULTS: The overall 1-, 2- and 3-year survival rate of the 27 patients was 71.4%, 55.6% and 7.7% respectively. The 1-, 2- and 3-year survival rate of the resected and cytoreductive group of patients was 73.3%, 58.3%, 10.0% and 66.7%, 50.0%, 0% (P > 0.05) respectively. Complications occurred in 22.0% of the treated patients. There was no operative and hospitalization mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical resection or cytoreductive operation with adjuvant therapy is effective as the first choice of treatment for stage IV a PLC.