Hepatocellular carcinoma successfully treated with ALPPS and apatinib: A case report

BACKGROUND: Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) has becoming ever more recognized in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nevertheless, long-term survival rate and postoperative complications are far from ideal, mainly since the majority of patients treated with ALPPS surgery have large or multiple lesions and microvascular tumor thrombus. CASE SUMMARY: We present the case of a 47-year-old male patient with a huge right hepatic mass and an estimated insufficient residual liver, who was successfully treated with ALPPS surgery and apatinib. Postoperative pathology revealed HCC with several significant microvascular embolisms. Twenty months after operation, no tumor reoccurrence was observed. CONCLUSION: Our case indicated that combined targeted drug therapy with ALPPS can lead to long-term survival for patients with large HCC.