Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients with Portal Vein Thrombosis Using Three-Dimensional Conformal Radiotherapy

Abstract

Objective: To determine the possible therapeutic gain of using three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) as a treatment option for portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to evaluate the tolerance and toxicity of using such treatment. Materials and methods: Sixty two patients were enrolled in this prospective study between June 2013 and August 2015. The clinical target volume (CTV) was the PVTT and the prescribed dose was 50 Gy/25 fractions. The median follow-up time was 7.4 months. Results: The thrombus crude response rate was 40.4% and the only significant prognostic factor for response was the thrombus size. Responders had significant better survival compared to non-responders with a median survival of 12.5 and 8 months respectively (P < 0.0001). The radiation toxicity profile was satisfactory. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that radiotherapy should be considered as a safe treatment option for HCC patients with PVTT. It is effective not only for PVTT local control but also for survival, although prospective randomized trials are needed to confirm these results.