Risk factors of poor prognosis and portal vein tumor thrombosis after curative resection of solitary hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND:Predictors of poor prognosis of solitary hepatocellular carcinoma(SHCC),a subgroup encompassing most patients with the malignancy,are still controversial.Hence,risk factors for portal vein tumor thrombosis(PVTT) in SHCC are obscure.The present study was designed to address this issue.METHOD:Clinicopathological and follow-up data for 156 consecutive patients with SHCC following curative hepatic resection were analyzed using uni-and multi-variate analyses.RESULTS:Univariate analysis showed that PVTT,tumornode-metastasis(TNM) stage,Edmondson-Steiner grade and preoperative serum alpha-fetoprotein(AFP) level were associated with the overall and disease-free survival,whereas tumor size only influenced the overall survival.In multivariate Cox regression tests,Edmondson-Steiner grade and TNM stage were independent prognostic markers for both overall and diseasefree survival.In addition,the Chi-square test showed that AFP level and Edmondson-Steiner grade were correlated with PVTT.Among them,only Edmondson-Steiner grade was shown to be of independent significance for PVTT in multi-variate logistic regression analysis.Additionally,AFP,the sole preoperative factor for PVTT,was not adequately sensitive and specific.CONCLUSIONS:Factors relating to post-surgical prognosis and PVTT in SHCC are all tumor-related.Of these,EdmondsonSteiner grade and TNM stage might be of particular importance in survival analysis.In addition,accurate prediction of PVTT by clinicopathological parameters before surgery remains difficult.

One-versus two-stage partial hepatectomy for large resectable solitary hepatocellular carcinomas determined preoperatively to have a narrow resection margin:a propensity score matching analysis

Background:For patients with a large but resectable solitary hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)of>5 cm in diameter,it is often difficult to achieve a sufficient resection margin.There is still no study on whether a two-stage hepatectomy to increase a narrow resection margin would be beneficial.Methods:From August 2014 to February 2017,patients with a large but resectable solitary HCC of>5 cm and a preoperative estimated resection margin of<1.0 cm were retrospectively studied.They were divided into one-and two-stage resection groups.A retrospective analysis was performed,followed by propensity score matching(PSM)analysis.Disease recurrence,survival,intraoperative and postoperative data were compared.Results:Before PSM,the 1-,2-,3-and 4-year recurrence-free survival rates for the one-and two-stage groups were 44.3%,31.7%,24.3%,19.2%versus 60.6%,45.4%,43.5%,32.3%,respectively(P=0.007).The corresponding OS rates were 61.0%,45.2%,43.8%,38.4%versus 69.6%,62.5%,60.7%,57.3%,respectively(P=0.029).After PSM,the 1-,2-,3-and 4-year recurrence-free survival rates for the one-and two-stage groups were 44.0%,31.5%,27.3%,21.0%versus 60.6%,45.4%,43.5%,32.3%,respectively(P=0.013).The corresponding OS rates were 62.5%,41.1%,41.1%,37.5%versus 69.6%,62.5%,60.7%,57.3%,respectively(P=0.038).Differences in the resection margins between the one-and two-stage groups before[0.3(0-0.5)versus 1.2(0.8-2.2)cm]and after[0.2(0-0.5)versus 1.2(0.8-2.2)cm]PSM were also significant.Conclusions:Two-stage hepatectomy allowed a wider resection margin for patients with a resectable but solitary HCC of>5 cm,and resulted in significantly better long-term survival outcomes after partial hepatectomy.