Stereotactic body radiation therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis: Evaluation of radiological and pathological response
Journal of Surgical Oncology, 04/26/2012

Facciuto ME et al. – Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) achieves total or partial radiological response in 37% of patients and total or partial pathological response in 37% of patients with early HCC in the setting of cirrhosis. SBRT may be a safe and effective alternative for local tumor control in patients with HCC and cirrhosis awaiting OLT.

• From 2006 to 2009, 27 HCC patients (AJCC I, II) listed for OLT underwent SBRT.
• Thirty–nine lesions were treated and 27 assessed radiologically.
• Seventeen patients had OLT, liver explants were analyzed and 22 lesions underwent pathological evaluation.

• In a cumulative analysis of all imaging, 30% had complete response, 7% had partial response, 56% were stable, and 7% had progression of disease.
• Of the 22 pathologically evaluated lesions, 37% were responders: 14% with complete response, 23% with partial response, and 63% with no response.
• Side effects from SBRT were recorded in three patients, which included nausea in two and liver decompensation in one.