Pdmonary metastasis of hepatoceblar carcinoma associated with bansarterial chemoembolization

Recent advances in both diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma have improved the prognosis and changed the clinical significance of the subsequently increasing distant metastases. Pulmonary metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma associated with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization has rarely been reported. MetIzods: To evaluate whether transcatheter arterial chemoembolization increases the risk of pulmonary metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma, 230 patients were studied. Among them, 156 received transcatheter arterial chemoembolization with an interval of 12-16 weeks, the remaining 74 cases refused transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and received only conservative treatment. All patients were followed up with chest x-ray films taken before transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, during admission or in the out-patient department. The mean follow-up interval was 3.3721.51 months. Results: Pulmonary metastasis was found in 25.6% (40/156) and 8.1% (6/74) of the patients with and without transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (p=O.O02). The median interval between initial diag