OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of united hepatectomy and splenectomy in the surgical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma complicated with hepatic cirrhosis and hypersplenism.

METHODSTwo hundred and four patients of hepatocellular carcinoma complicated with liver cirrhosis and hypersplenism were divided into two groups: the group of combined resection of hepatocellular carcinoma and spleen (group A, n = 94) and the group of hepatectomy only (group B, n = 110). The counts of white blood cell and platelet, total serum bilirubin levels, changes of immune function, operative morbidity and 5-year survival rates were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS(1) There was no significant difference of the counts of CD4, CD8, CD4/CD8 and the levels of IL-2, IFN-gamma and IL-10 between the two groups before the operation. (2) Two months after operation, the percentage of CD4 and the ratio of CD4/CD8 were significantly higher in the group A [(40.8 +/- 4.1)% and (1.8 +/- 0.2)%, respectively] than those of group B [(33.8 +/- 3.6)% and (1.1 +/- 0.3)%, respectively], while the percentage of CD8 was (25.8 +/- 3.8)% in the group A, significantly lower than that of group B [(32.9 +/- 4.1)%, P < 0.05]; Both the levels of IFN-gamma and IL-2 were significantly higher in the group A than those of group B while the level of IL-10 in group A was lower compared with that of group B (P < 0.05). (3) On the 14 postoperative day, the counts of white blood cell and platelet were (9.1 +/- 1.4) x 10(9)/L and (310 +/- 55) x 10(9)/L, which were significantly higher than those of group B [(3.6 +/- 1.2) x 10(9)/L and (99 +/- 36) x 10(9)/L, respectively]. (4) On the 7th postoperative day, the total serum bilirubin concentration of group A [(24 +/- 7) micromol/L] was lower than that of group B [(37 +/- 13) micromol/L]. (5) There was no significant difference in the postoperative morbidities between the two groups (15.9% and 14.5%, respectively). (6) There was no significant difference of the 5-year cumulative survival rates between group A (56.4%) and group B (50.9%, P > 0.05), but the survival rate without tumor of group A was 37.7%, higher than that of group B (18.9%, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe combined resection of hepatocellular carcinoma and spleen for the hepatocellular carcinoma complicated with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension may promote the recovery of the balance between the subgroup of T cell and B cell, normalize the counts of white blood cell and platelet, alleviate the bilirubin burden and benefit for the recovery of liver physiological role without increase; the 5-year disease-free survival rate was improved significantly while no increase of postoperative morbidity. Combined resection may also be helpful for the delay of the progression of liver cirrhosis and for the prevention of esophageal variceal bleeding.