Objective: To evaluate the effect of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for liver cancer.
Methods: HIFU treatment was performed in 44 liver cancer patients under general anesthesia and ultrasound positioning. Before and after HIFU treatment, the clinical symptoms, liver functional tests, AFP and MRI were evaluated.
Results: After HIFU treatment, the remission rate of clinical symptoms was 87.5% (28/32), with the scanty ascites in 3 patients disappeared. ALT (79.73 +/- 12.31 U/L) and AST (103.47 +/- 24.55 U/L) before HIFU were reduced to normal in 84.6% (22/26) and 73.5% (25/34) patients. AFP in 64.3% (18/28) patients decreased > or = 50% of the original value. After HIFU, MRI showed coagulative necrosis and blood supply reduction or disappearance of tumor in the target region.
Conclusion: HIFU treatment pocesses good effect on liver cancer, which will offer a considerable weight in noninvasive local treatment of hepatic tumor.