The purpose of our study was to evaluate children who underwent hepatic resection for primary malignant hepatic tumor in the period from January 1994 to December 2001. A total of 8 patients, seven with hepatoblastoma (HB) and one with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). were studied. One HCC was respectable at the initial diagnosis, but five cases of unresectable HB received two cycles of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) before operation. One patient with an unresectable HB with bone marrow metastasis was operated after one cycle of TACE and one cycle of systemic chemotherapy based on CCG-823F protocol. All 6 patients who underwent TACE and neoadjuvant chemotherapy showed marked redcuction in tumor volume and a clear outline of the lesion. Major complication was not noticed. Mean alpha-fetoprotei (alpha-FP) level at diagnosis, after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and after postoperative chemotherapy was 9,818 (42-35,350), 664, and 10.1 ng/mL, respectively. Half life of the alpha-FP after complete resection was 5.1 days (3.0-8.7 days). Median follow up period was 57.1 months (10-97 months) and all the patients are alive with NED. In conclusion, preoperative chemotherapy, especially TACE, is effective, safe, and useful to treat initially unresectable hepatoblastoma, and serial level of the serum alpha-FP is a useful tumor marker for diagnosis and monitoring therapeutic responses.
