Comparison of unenhanced magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound in detecting very small hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND In hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),detection and treatment prior to growth beyond 2 cm are important as a larger tumor size is more frequently associated with microvascular invasion and/or satellites.In the surveillance of very small HCC nodules(≤2 cm in maximum diameter,Barcelona clinical stage 0),we demonstrated that the tumor markers alpha-fetoprotein and PIVKA-Ⅱare not so useful.Therefore,we must survey with imaging modalities.The superiority of magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)over ultrasound(US)to detect HCC was confirmed in many studies.Although enhanced MRI is now performed to accurately diagnose HCC,in conventional clinical practice for HCC surveillance in liver diseases,unenhanced MRI is widely performed throughout the world.While,MRI has made marked improvements in recent years.AIM To make a comparison of unenhanced MRI and US in detecting very small HCC that was examined in the last ten years in patients in whom MRI and US examinations were performed nearly simultaneously.METHODS In 394 patients with very small HCC nodules,those who underwent MRI and US at nearly the same time(on the same day whenever possible or at least within 14 days of one another)at the first diagnosis of HCC were selected.The detection rate of HCC with unenhanced MRI was investigated and compared with that of unenhanced US.RESULTS The sensitivity of unenhanced MRI for detecting very small HCC was 95.1%(97/102,95%confidence interval:90.9-99.3)and that of unenhanced US was 69.6%(71/102,95%confidence interval:60.7-78.5).The sensitivity of unenhanced MRI for detecting very small HCC was significantly higher than that of unenhanced US(P<0.001).Regarding the location of HCC in the liver in patients in whom detection by US was unsuccessful,S7-8 was identified in 51.7%.CONCLUSION Currently,unenhanced MRI is a very useful tool for the surveillance of very small HCC in conventional clinical follow-up practice.

A special recurrent pattern in small hepatocellular carcinoma after treatment:Bile duct tumor thrombus formation

AIM:To investigate the clinicopathologic features of bile duct tumor thrombus(BDTT) occurrence after treatment of primary small hepatocellular carcinoma(sHCC) .METHODS:A total of 423 patients with primary sHCC admitted to our hospital underwent surgical resection or local ablation.During follow-up,only six patients were hospitalized due to obstructive jaundice,which occurred 5-76 mo after initial treatment.The clinicopathologic features of these six patients were reviewed.RESULTS:Six patients underwent hepatic resection(n=5) or radio-frequency ablation(n=1) due to primary sHCC.Five cases had an R1 resection margin,and one case had an ablative margin less than 5.0 mm.No vascular infiltration,microsatellites or bile duct/canaliculus affection was noted in the initial resected specimens.During the follow-up,imaging studies revealed a macroscopic BDTT extending to the common bile duct in all six patients.Four patients had a concomitant intrahepatic recurrent tumor.Surgical re-resection of intrahepatic recurrent tumors and removal of BDTTs(n=4) ,BDTT removal through choledochotomy(n= 1) ,and conservative treatment(n=1) was performed.Microscopic portal vein invasion was noted in three of the four resected specimens.All six patients died,with a mean survival of 11 mo after BDTT removal or conservative treatment.CONCLUSION:BDTT occurrence is a rare,special recurrent pattern of primary sHCC.Patients with BDTTs extending to the common bile duct usually have an unfavorable prognosis even following aggressive surgery.Insufficient resection or ablative margins against primary sHCC may be a risk factor for BDTT development.

Small hepatocellular carcinoma: current status and prospects

Background: More than two decades have gone bysince the early report of resection for small hepatocel-lular carcinoma (HCC), which resulted in improvedprognosis of HCC.Objective: To review the past and recent data, andprospect the future in this field.Data sources: Literature and recent data from theLiver Cancer Institute of Fudan University, Shang-hai, China.Data synthesis: 1232 patients with small HCC fromthe institute were analyzed between 1960-1984 (n=107) and 1985-1999 (n=1125). The increase of li-mited resection rate from 69.5 % to 82.5 % contribu-ted in part to the increase of resectability from76.6 % to 95.5 %, decrease of operative mortalityfrom 2.4 % to 1.2 %, and improvement of 5-year sur-vival after resection (from 53.1% to 64.0%). The5-year survival was higher after limited resectionthan after lobectomy, being 64.4 % versus 55.9%.The 5-year survival after resection was superior tothat after cryosurgery and other regional cancertherapies (32.8 %). However, molecular studiesfound that biological characteristics were only slightlybetter in small HCC than in large HCC.Conclusions: Resection remains the treatment choicefor small HCC with compensated liver function,while regional cancer therapies and liver transplanta-tion are alternatives for patients with incompensatedliver function. Biological characteristics remain theleading factor influencing prognosis of small HCC.

Prognostic factors affecting postoperative survival of patients with solitary small hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: Small hepatocellular carcinoma(sHCC) is a unique variant of HCC that is characterized by small tumor size(maximum tumor diameter predic≤3 cm) and favorable long?term outcomes. The present study aimed to define clin?icopathologic factors that t survival in patients with s HCC.Methods: The study population consisted of 335 patients who underwent hepatectomy for solitary s HCC between December 1998 and 2010. Prognostic factors were evaluated using Kaplan–Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard models.Results: The 5?year overall survival(OS) and recurrence?free survival(RFS) rates were 77.7% and 59.9%, respectively. Kaplan–Meier curves showed that tumor size and vascular invasion had prognostic significance within this relatively selected cohort(P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis confirmed that increased tumor size and vascular invasion were independent prognostic factors for short OS(hazard ratio [HR] = 2.367, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.406–3.985; HR = 2.954, 95% CI 1.781–4.900) and RFS(HR = 1.779, 95% CI 1.259–2.514; HR < 0.05). Importantly, a proposed prognostic scoring model was deri= 1.699, 95% CI 1.165–2.477) in s HCC patients(Pved according to the two variables; tumor size and extent of vascular invasion were significantly associated with OS and RFS in patients with s HCC(P < 0.001).Conclusions: Tumor size and vascular invasion are feasible and useful prognostic factors for s HCC. The proposed prognostic model, based on tumor size and vascular invasion, is informative in predicting survival in s HCC patients undergoing hepatectomy.

Survival factors after resection of small hepatocellular carcinoma

Early resection of hepatocellular carcinoma is a key measure to prolong the survival of patients. This study was designed to summarize our experience in surgical resection of small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to analyze the factors influencing the postoperative survival of patients. METHODS:The clinicopathologic data of 105 patients with small HCC after resection from 1986 through 2003 were analyzed ; the patients had been followed up for more than half a year (median 33 months). Nine clinicopathologic factors, preoperative α-fetoprotein (AFP) level, liver cirrhosis, Child-Pugh score, tumor size (】2cm vs.≤2 cm) and number (single vs. multiple), capsule formation, portal vein tumor thrombi (PVTT), Edmondson tumor grade and surgical method, were analyzed by the log-rank test and the Cox proportional harzards model analysis. RESULTS:The cumulative 1-,3- and 5-year survival rates after the operation were 86.5%, 70.3% and 55.2%, respectively, and the 1-, 3- and 5-year disease-free survival rates were 78%, 58. 9% and 45. 6%, respectively. One patient died from esophagogastric varices hemorrhage in 2 weeks after reoperation. Thirty-six patients had intrahepatic recurrence or metastasis postoperatively and 34 patients died. The Kaplan-Meier method and the Cox proportional harzards model analysis indicated that poor Child-Pugh score, tumor more than 2 cm in diameter, PVTT and multiple lesions (including satellitic lesions) were adverse factors affecting postoperative survival. The Cox proportional harzards model analysis indicated that tumor size, PVTT and multiple lesions were the factors influencing postoperative disease-free survival. CONCLUSIONS:Limited hepatectomy with a margin more than 1 cm is an appropriate surgical approach. Adverse preoperative Child-Pugh score and postoperative intrahepatic recurrences are the main factors leading to the death of patients with small HCC.

Des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin as an important prognostic indicator in patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM:To clarify the effect of a high des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) level on the invasiveness and prognosis of small hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS: Among 142 consecutive patients with known DCP levels, who underwent hepatectomy because of hepatocellular carcinoma, 85 patients met the criteria for small hepatocellular carcinoma, i.e. one ≤ 5 cm sized single tumor or no more than three ≤ 3 cm sized tumors. RESULTS: The overall survival rate of the 142 patients was 92.1% for 1 year, 69.6% for 3 years, and 56.9% for 5 years. Multivariate analysis showed that microscopic vascular invasion (P = 0.03) and serum DCP ≥ 400 mAU/mL (P = 0.02) were independent prognostic factors. In the group of patients who met the criteria for small hepatocellular carcinoma, DCP ≥ 400 mAU/mL was found to be an independent prognostic factor for recurrence-free (P = 0.02) and overall survival (P = 0.0005). In patients who did not meet the criteria, the presence of vascular invasion was an independent factor for recurrence-free (P = 0.02) and overall survivals (P = 0.01). In 75% of patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma and high DCP levels, recurrence occurred extrahepatically. CONCLUSION: For small hepatocellular carcinoma, a high preoperative DCP level appears indicative fortumor recurrence. Because many patients with a high preoperative DCP level develop extrahepatic recurrence, it is necessary to screen the whole body.

Nomogram prediction of vessels encapsulating tumor clusters in small hepatocellular carcinoma≤3 cm based on enhanced magnetic resonance imaging

BACKGROUND Vessels encapsulating tumor clusters(VETC)represent a recently discovered vascular pattern associated with novel metastasis mechanisms in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).However,it seems that no one have focused on predicting VETC status in small HCC(sHCC).This study aimed to develop a new nomogram for predicting VETC positivity using preoperative clinical data and image features in sHCC(≤3 cm)patients.AIM To construct a nomogram that combines preoperative clinical parameters and image features to predict patterns of VETC and evaluate the prognosis of sHCC patients.METHODS A total of 309 patients with sHCC,who underwent segmental resection and had their VETC status confirmed,were included in the study.These patients were recruited from three different hospitals:Hospital 1 contributed 177 patients for the training set,Hospital 2 provided 78 patients for the test set,and Hospital 3 provided 54 patients for the validation set.Independent predictors of VETC were identified through univariate and multivariate logistic analyses.These independent predictors were then used to construct a VETC prediction model for sHCC.The model’s performance was evaluated using the area under the curve(AUC),calibration curve,and clinical decision curve.Additionally,Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to confirm whether the predicted VETC status by the model is associated with early recurrence,just as it is with the actual VETC status and early recurrence.RESULTS Alpha-fetoprotein_lg10,carbohydrate antigen 199,irregular shape,non-smooth margin,and arterial peritumoral enhancement were identified as independent predictors of VETC.The model incorporating these predictors demonstrated strong predictive performance.The AUC was 0.811 for the training set,0.800 for the test set,and 0.791 for the validation set.The calibration curve indicated that the predicted probability was consistent with the actual VETC status in all three sets.Furthermore,the decision curve analysis demonstrated the clinical benefits of our model for patients with sHCC.Finally,early recurrence was more likely to occur in the VETC-positive group compared to the VETC-negative group,regardless of whether considering the actual or predicted VETC status.CONCLUSION Our novel prediction model demonstrates strong performance in predicting VETC positivity in sHCC(≤3 cm)patients,and it holds potential for predicting early recurrence.This model equips clinicians with valuable information to make informed clinical treatment decisions.

Comprehending the therapeutic effects of stereotactic body radiation therapy for small hepatocellular carcinomas based on imagings

Surgical resection or radiofrequency ablation(RFA)is considered first-choice treatment for small hepatocellular carcinomas(HCCs).When a patient has a small HCC that is inoperable or unsuitable for RFA,what are alternative treatments?Some oncologists recommend transarterial chemoembolization(TACE),chemotherapy,molecular-targeted therapy,or immunotherapy.However,these treatments have minimally beneficial effects in small HCCs.Stereotactic body radiation therapy(SBRT)is a liver-directed radical therapy for small HCCs,with treatment outcomes similar to those for surgical resection or RFA,but many oncologists do not comprehend its efficacy or accept this therapy.We herein discuss 11 typical patients who received SBRT for various indications:refusal to undergo resection or RFA;surgical resection or RFA considered difficult or unfeasible;residual cancer after surgical resection or RFA or incomplete iodized oil retention after TACE;or tumor recurrence after resection or RFA.We describe each case,including the radiation field,tumor radiation dose,and response to SBRT in both the tumor and liver parenchyma.These clinical data should help readers understand this new therapeutic technique.We also conducted a literature review and found evidence to support survival benefit with SBRT,including good three-and five-year overall survival rates.The purpose of this article is to encourage readers to accept the concept that SBRT is a low-toxicity and effective therapeutic option for patients with small HCCs,which offers substantial local control and improved overall survival,especially for patients with a tumor that is unresectable or unsuitable for RFA,residual tumor after local therapy,or intrahepatic recurrent tumor.

Therapeutic potential of small interfering RNAs/micro interfering RNA in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) is the predominant form of primary liver cancer and represents the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Current available therapeutic approaches are poorly effective,especially for the advanced forms of the disease. In the last year,short double stranded RNA molecules termed small interfering RNAs(si RNAs) and micro interfering RNAs(mi RNA),emerged as interesting molecules with potential therapeutic value for HCC. The practical use of these molecules is however limited by the identification of optimal molecular targets and especially by the lack of effective and targeted HCC delivery systems. Here we focus our discussion on the most recent advances in the identification of si RNAs/mi RNAs molecular targets and on the development of suitable si RNA/mi RNAs delivery systems.

Small-duct primary sclerosing cholangitis with hepatocellular carcinoma requiring liver transplantation

BACKGROUND:Primary sclerosing cholangitis(PSC)is a chronic progressive cholestatic liver disease,which usually affects young adults and is diagnosed by cholangiography.On a few occasions,the disease either starts in or exclusively involves the small intrahepatic bile ducts,referred to as small-duct PSC. METHODS:A 31-year-old man presented with severe hematemesis secondary to liver cirrhosis.Over a course of 8 years,his liver decompensated and required an orthotopic liver transplantation. In this report we discuss his disease presentation,course of management,and the post-transplantation course of manage- ment,and review the morphologic diagnosis,and differential diagnosis of the disease with large-duct type and other diseases that involve small intrahepatic bile ducts. RESULTS:The patient's explanted liver showed changes of PSC affecting only the small-and medium-sized bile ducts in addition to three incidental nodules of hepatocellular carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS:Small-duct PSC has a substantially better prognosis than the large-duct type,with less chance of developing cirrhosis and an equal risk for developing hepato- cellular carcinoma,but no increased risk for developing cholangiocarcinoma.Treatment seems to help relieve the symptoms but not necessarily improve survival.Liver transplantation remains the ultimate cure.

Patients with early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma have poor prognosis

BACKGROUND: Early recurrence(ER) after hepatic resection(HR) is a poor prognostic factor for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). This study aimed to identify the clinicopathological features, outcomes, and risk factors for ER after HR for small HCC in order to clarify the reasons why ER is a worse recurrence pattern.METHODS: We retrospectively examined 130 patients who underwent HR for small HCC(≤30 mm). Recurrence was classified into ER(<2 years) and late recurrence(LR)(≥2 years). The clinicopathological features, outcomes, and risk factors for ER were analyzed by multivariate analysis.RESULTS: ER was observed in 39 patients(30.0%). The survival rate of the ER group was significantly lower than that of the LR group(P<0.005), and ER was an independent prognostic factor for poor survival(P=0.0001). The ER group had a significantly higher frequency(P=0.0039) and shorter interval(P=0.027) of development to carcinoma beyond the Milan criteria(DBMC) compared with the LR group, and ER was an independent risk factor for DBMC(P<0.0001). Multi-nodularity, non-simple nodular type, and microvascular invasion were independent predictors for ER(P=0.012, 0.010, and 0.019, respectively).CONCLUSIONS: ER was a highly malignant recurrence pattern associated with DBMC and subsequent poor survival after HR for small HCC. Multi-nodularity, non-simple nodular type, and microvascular invasion predict ER, and taking these factors into consideration may be useful for the decision of the treatment strategy for small HCC after HR.

Single hepatocellular carcinoma ≤ 3 cm in left lateral segment:Liver resection or radiofrequency ablation?

AIM:To evaluate the long-term results of radiofrequency ablation(RFA)compared to left lateral sectionectomy(LLS)in patients with Child-Pugh class A disease for the treatment of single and small hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)in the left lateral segments.METHODS:We retrospectively reviewed the data of133 patients with single HCC(≤3 cm)in their left lateral segments who underwent curative LLS(n=66)or RFA(n=67)between 2006 and 2010.RESULTS:The median follow-up period was 33.5mo in the LLS group and 29 mo in the RFA group(P=0.060).Most patients had hepatitis B virus-related HCC.The hospital stay was longer in the LLS group than in the RFA group(8 d vs 2 d,P<0.001).The 1-,2-,and 3-year disease-free survival and overall survival rates were 80.0%,68.2%,and 60.0%,and 95.4%,92.3%,and 92.3%,respectively,for the LLS group;and 80.8%,59.9%,and 39.6%,and 98.2%,92.0%,and 74.4%,respectively,for the RFA group.The disease-free survival curve and overall survival curve were higher in the LLS group than in the RFA group(P=0.012 and P=0.013,respectively).Increased PIVKA-Ⅱlevels and small tumor size were associated with HCC recurrence in multivariate analysis.CONCLUSION:Liver resection is suitable for single HCC≤3 cm in the left lateral segments.

A potential oncogenic role of the commonly observed E2F5 overexpression in hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM: To explore the expression pattern of E2F5 in primary hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) and elucidate the roles of E2F5 in hepatocarcinogenesis. METHODS: E2F5 expression was analyzed in 120 primary HCCs and 29 normal liver tissues by immunohistochemistry analysis. E2F5-small interfering RNA was transfected into HepG2, an E2F5-overexpressed HCC cell line. After E2F5 knockdown, cell growth capacity and migrating potential were examined. RESULTS: E2F5 was significantly overexpressed in primary HCCs compared with normal liver tissues (P = 0.008). The E2F5-silenced cells showed significantly reduced proliferation (P = 0.004). On the colony formation and soft agar assays, the number of colonies was significantly reduced in E2F5-silenced cells (P = 0.004 and P = 0.009, respectively). E2F5 knockdown resulted in the accumulation of G0/G1 phase cells and a reduction of S phase cells. The number of migrating/invading cells was also reduced after E2F5 knockdown (P = 0.021). CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first evidence that E2F5 is commonly overexpressed in primary HCC and that E2F5 knockdown significantly repressed the growth of HCC cells.

The Role of Multimodality Imaging Techniques on Differential Diagnosis of Precancerous Nodules and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

In recent years, the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been increasing worldwide, and its high mortality seriously threatens public health. Early detection and treatment are crucial to improving the survival rate. Imaging examination widely used for the diagnosis of HCC and provides a non-invasive means of tumor visualization. The rapid development of medical imaging technology is expected to improve early-stage diagnosis rates for HCC. This article summarizes the methods for the differential diagnosis of premalignant dysplastic nodule (DN) and small hepatocellular carcinoma during the carcinogenesis of cirrhosis and reviews their application. In addition, a discussion on some recently patented medical imaging development was also presented.

Development and in vitro study of a bi-specific magnetic resonance imaging molecular probe for hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)ranks second in terms of cancer mortality worldwide.Molecular magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)targeting HCC biomarkers such as alpha-fetoprotein(AFP)or glypican-3(GPC3)offers new strategies to enhance specificity and help early diagnosis of HCC.However,the existing iron oxide nanoparticle-based MR molecular probes singly target AFP or GPC3,which may hinder their efficiency to detect heterogeneous micro malignant HCC tumors<1 cm(MHCC).We hypothesized that the strategy of double antibody-conjugated iron oxide nanoparticles which simultaneously target AFP and GPC3 antigens may potentially be used to overcome the tumor heterogeneity and enhance the detection rate for MRI-based MHCC diagnosis.AIM To synthesize an AFP/GPC3 double antibody-labeled iron oxide MRI molecular probe and to assess its impact on MRI specificity and sensitivity at the cellular level.METHODS A double antigen-targeted MRI probe for MHCC anti-AFP-USPIO-anti-GPC3(UAG)was developed by simultaneously conjugating AFP andGPC3 antibodies to a 5 nm ultra-small superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle(USPIO).At the same time,the singly labeled probes of anti-AFP-USPIO(UA)and anti-GPC3-USPIO(UG)and non-targeted USPIO(U)were also prepared for comparison.The physical characterization including morphology(transmission electron microscopy),hydrodynamic size,and zeta potential(dynamic light scattering)was conducted for each of the probes.The antigen targeting and MRI ability for these four kinds of USPIO probes were studied in the GPC3-expressing murine hepatoma cell line Hepa1-6/GPC3.First,AFP and GPC3 antigen expression in Hepa1-6/GPC3 cells was confirmed by flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry.Then,the cellular uptake of USPIO probes was investigated by Prussian blue staining assay and in vitro MRI(T2-weighted and T2-map)with a 3.0 Tesla clinical MR scanner.RESULTS Our data showed that the double antibody-conjugated probe UAG had the best specificity in targeting Hepa1-6/GPC3 cells expressing AFP and GPC3 antigens compared with single antibody-conjugated and unconjugated USPIO probes.The iron Prussian blue staining and quantitative T2-map MRI analysis showed that,compared with UA,UG,and U,the uptake of double antigen-targeted UAG probe demonstrated a 23.3%(vs UA),15.4%(vs UG),and 57.3%(vs U)increased Prussian stained cell percentage and a 14.93%(vs UA),9.38%(vs UG),and 15.3%(vs U)reduction of T2 relaxation time,respectively.Such bi-specific probe might have the potential to overcome tumor heterogeneity.Meanwhile,the coupling of two antibodies did not influence the magnetic performance of USPIO,and the relatively small hydrodynamic size(59.60±1.87 nm)of double antibodyconjugated USPIO probe makes it a viable candidate for use in MHCC MRI in vivo,as they are slowly phagocytosed by macrophages.CONCLUSION The bi-specific probe presents enhanced targeting efficiency and MRI sensitivity to HCC cells than singly-or non-targeted USPIO,paving the way for in vivo translation to further evaluate its clinical potential.

磁共振成像增强扫描及弥散加权成像预测小肝癌微血管侵犯的价值

目的探讨磁共振成像(MRI)增强扫描及弥散加权成像(DWI)预测小肝癌患者微血管侵犯(MVI)的临床价值。方法选取成都医学院第一附属医院2021年5月至2023年5月收治的90例小肝癌患者(术前1周内均接受MRI增强扫描)为研究对象,根据术后病理检查结果分为MVI阳性组(n=25)和MVI阴性组(n=65),比较两组一般资料、增强扫描特征及DWI参数,采用多因素Logistic回归分析确定MVI的影响因素。基于回归分析结果建立评分模型,绘制评分模型预测小肝癌患者MVI的受试者工作特征(ROC)曲线。结果90例小肝癌患者中MVI阳性率为27.78%(25/90)。MVI阳性组低分化、动脉期瘤周强化、肿瘤边缘不光滑、肝胆期瘤周低信号的占比高于MVI阴性组,而D值、ADC值低于MVI阴性组(P<0.05)。Logistic回归分析显示,动脉期瘤周强化、肿瘤边缘、瘤周低信号、D值、ADC值是小肝癌MVI的影响因素(P<0.05)。根据回归分析建立的评分模型预测小肝癌患者MVI的ROC曲线下面积为0.898,最佳截断值为5分,其敏感度与特异度分别为0.920、0.877。结论MRI增强扫描联合DWI可有效预测小肝癌患者的MVI风险。

snoRNAs在肝癌中潜在作用的研究进展

核仁小RNA(snoRNAs)为核仁内存在的一类非编码RNA分子,主要负责rRNA的2′-O-甲基化和假尿嘧啶化修饰。此外,snoRNAs还在tRNA修饰、剪接体snRNA修饰、端粒结构维护及mRNA的可变剪接等生物过程中发挥调控作用。多项研究表明snoRNAs的表达异常与癌症的进展密切相关,可能成为癌症治疗的新靶点。同时,因其在体液中较稳定、易被检测,可作为临床中诊断和预后的生物标志物。本文综述了snoRNAs的合成、分类、结构和功能,并介绍其在肝癌发生和发展中的潜在作用。

腹腔镜肝切除术治疗小肝癌的中远期疗效及对患者外周血T淋巴细胞亚群的影响

目的 探究腹腔镜肝切除术治疗小肝癌的中远期疗效及对患者外周血T淋巴细胞亚群的影响。方法 选取112例小肝癌患者,随机分为观察组和对照组。对照组进行开腹肝切除术,观察组进行腹腔镜肝切除术。监测2组患者治疗前后的手术指标(出血量、手术时间、住院时间)、客观缓解率(ORR)和疾病控制率(DCR)、生活质量评分、术后3年和5年生存率、肝功能[谷丙转氨酶(ALT)、谷草转氨酶(AST)、总胆红素(TBIL)、直接胆红素(DBIL)]、T淋巴细胞亚群水平(CD3^(+)细胞、CD4^(+)细胞、CD8^(+)细胞),观察并统计2组患者术后并发症发生情况。结果 治疗后,观察组ORR、DCR、生活质量评分、3年和5年生存率、CD3^(+)细胞、CD4^(+)细胞水平均高于对照组,出血量、手术时间、住院时间、ALT、AST、TBIL、DBIL、CD8^(+)细胞水平均低于对照组(P<0.05)。2组术后并发症发生率比较,观察组低于对照组(P<0.05)。结论 腹腔镜肝切除术治疗小肝癌可减少术中出血量,缩短住院时间,提高患者生活质量和中远期生存率,同时还可有效改善患者肝功能和免疫功能。

小肝癌微血管侵犯风险术前列线图预测模型的构建与验证

目的分析小肝癌(SHCC)发生微血管侵犯(MVI)的危险因素,构建术前列线图预测模型并进行验证。方法回顾性分析2018年8月至2023年8月因SHCC于华中科技大学同济医学院附属协和医院行根治性肝切除术的288例患者的临床资料,根据术后病理结果是否存在MVI分为MVI阳性组(n=96)和MVI阴性组(n=192)。收集患者一般资料、血清学指标、炎症指标、术前影像学资料、病理指标等,采用Lasso回归分析结合单因素、多因素Logistic回归分析探究SHCC患者发生MVI的主要危险因素,并构建术前列线图预测模型。结果288例单发SHCC患者中有96例发生MVI,发生率为33.3%。多因素Logistic回归分析结果显示,肿瘤最大径、包膜强化、AFP≥200 ng/mL、中性粒细胞/淋巴细胞比值(NLR)≥1.63、全身免疫炎症指数(SII)≥170.86、血小板计数(PLT)≥183.0×10^(9)/L为SHCC患者发生MVI的独立危险因素(P<0.05)。列线图预测模型的曲线下面积(AUC)为0.823,通过Youden指数计算出列线图的最佳截断值为181.3分,截断值下的灵敏度、特异度、阳性预测值和阴性预测值分别为65.6%、84.9%、68.5%和83.2%,具备较好的区分度和一致性。结论基于肿瘤最大径、包膜强化、AFP≥200 ng/mL、NLR≥1.63、SII≥170.86、PLT≥183.0×10^(9)/L所建立的术前列线图预测模型对SHCC发生MVI风险有较高的预测价值,对指导临床决策,改善不良预后具有重要意义。

CT结合血清肿瘤标志物鉴别肝硬化结节与小肝癌的作用

分析计算机断层扫描(CT)结合血清癌抗原19-9(CA19-9)、癌胚抗原(CEA)、甲胎蛋白(AFP)对104例肝硬化结节与小肝癌患者的诊断价值。所有患者接受腹部CT平扫及增强扫描,检测血清CA19-9、CEA、AFP水平。结果表明,CT结合血清CA19-9、CEA、AFP预测小肝癌的AUC为0.891,敏感度为85.90%(P<0.05)。CT结合血清CA19-9、CEA、AFP在鉴别诊断肝硬化结节和小肝癌中具有较高的敏感度,可作为临床鉴别肝硬化结节和小肝癌的有效手段。