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Aim: This study aimed to investigate the predictive power of the combination of Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII) and albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade in prognosis outcomes of early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after thermal ablation. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was reviewed and approved by our institutional review board, and written informed consent was obtained from each patient. According to the Milan criteria, a total of 405 treatment-naïve patients with clinicopathologically confirmed HCC were enrolled who subsequently underwent thermal ablation from 2011 to 2016. The outcomes of overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were statistically analyzed. Results: The median follow-up time of this study was 45.1 months (range, 1.3–83.2 months). After thermal ablation in patients with SII-ALBI Grades 1, 2, and 3, the cumulative 5-year OS rates were 81.7%, 63.2%, and 26.9%; the 5-year CSS rates were 82.4%, 67.5%, and 26.9%; and the 5-year RFS rates were 49.3%, 44.6%, and 25.3%, respectively (all P < 0.001). On multivariate Cox regression analyses, SII-ALBI was independently associated with the three outcomes after adjustment for various confounders (all P < 0.05). In addition, SII-ALBI played a predictive role in OS, CSS, and RFS for patients with negative alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) (P < 0.05). Compared with SII and ALBI, the AUCs for the prediction of OS and CSS using SII-ALBI were superior to single indicator (bothP < 0.05). Conclusion: Elevated preablation SII-ALBI is associated with shorter OS, CSS, and RFS in patients with early-stage HCC. Our indicator showed the potential to be a supplement tool for patients with negative AFP during follow-up
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Purpose: We aimed to compare the outcomes of microwave ablation (MWA) alone with those of transarterial chemoembolization combined with MWA (TACE-MWA) for Barcelona clinic liver cancer (BCLC) Stage B hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to identify the prognostic factors associated with the two treatments. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in 150 BCLC Stage B HCC patients from April 2006 to November 2017. Of these, 88 patients were treated with MWA alone while 62 with TACE-MWA. Propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted to adjust for imbalances in clinical parameters. Procedure-related complications, local tumor progression (LTP), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and overall survival (OS) were analyzed. Results: Before PSM, the maximal tumor diameters were 6.0 ± 1.0 cm and 6.7 ± 1.3 cm in the TACE-MWA and MWA groups, respectively, with a significant difference (P = 0.002); a significant difference was also detected in α-fetoprotein level (P = 0.013). After PSM, no difference was found in the two parameters (P = 0.067, 0.470). Before and after PSM, no difference was detected in the procedure-related complications (P = 0.803 vs. 1.000, P = 1.000 vs. 1.000), RFS (P = 0.786 vs. 0.689), and OS (P = 0.684 vs. 0.929). Tumor size and α-fetoprotein level were independent influencing factors for OS before and after PSM (P = 0.009, 0.023), while tumor size (D > 7) was an independent risk factor for poor OS (P = 0.011). Tumor number was an independent risk factor for RFS before and after PSM (P = 0.007 vs. P = 0.008). A significant difference was detected in LTP between the two groups with single tumor before and after PSM (P = 0.059 vs. P = 0.006). Conclusions: The MWA alone group had RFS and OS comparable to that of the TACE-MWA group. TACE-MWA was effective in controlling LTP in patients with a single tumor
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Objective: To compare the overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) and liver-cancer-specific survival (LCSS) of elderly (≥65 years) and younger patients (< 65 years) with early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation (US-PMMA). Materials and Methods: From January 2002 to December 2017, 510 elderly and 1053 younger patients were diagnosed with early-stage HCC according to the Milan criteria. All of these patients were treatment-naïve to US-PMMA. Baseline characteristics were collected to identify any risk factors to determine the survival outcomes. OS, DFS, and LCSS probabilities were calculated with the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the Log-rank test. Results: Complete ablation was achieved in all patients. Elderly patients were more likely to be, hepatitis C virus infection, comorbidities, cirrhosis, larger tumors, poor liver functional reservation, more ablation points, longer ablation time, longer hospital stays, and higher hospitalization costs (P < 0.05). Over the follow-up period (12–156 months), no significant differences were detected in OS, DFS, and LCSS between the two groups ( P = 0.092, 0.318, and 0.183). r-GT, ALB and ablation session were significant factors for OS, r-GT and ALB for LCSS, and cirrhosis, tumor number, AFP and ablation points for RFS in the multivariate analysis, respectively. No treatment-related deaths occurred in the two groups. Any complications were treated as appropriate. Conclusions: Although advanced age and comorbidities are intrinsic factors in elderly HCC patients, similar survival outcomes were obtained in elderly and younger HCC patients treated by US-PMWA, despite elderly patients having more comorbidities
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Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the clinical effect and safety of ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation (US-PMWA) assisted by three-dimensional (3D) visualization operative treatment planning system in larger adrenal metastasis (LAM) (D ≥ 4 cm). Materials and Methods: From Dec 2011 to Dec 2017, 12 consecutive LAM patients with pathologically proven with a mean diameter of 5.2±1.3cm (range 4.1-7.6) were treated. Artificial ascites and thermal monitoring system as ancillary technique were used. The patients were followed up with imagings and complications were recorded. Results: The median follow-up period was 31 months (ranged 6–52 m). All LAM achieved completely ablation according to the 3D planning preoperation. Complete ablation was achieved in 10 (10/12, 83.3%) patients by one session and 2 patients (2/12, 16.7%) by two sessions. Recurrence was detected at the treated site in 3 patients (3/12, 25.0%) at 5, 9, and 13 months after ablation and received another ablation. Progression of metastasis disease at extra-adrenal sites occurred in 9 patients (9/12, 75%). Seven (7/12, 58.3%) patients died during the follow-up period. Therefore, the 1-, 2-, and 3-year local tumor control rates were 83.3%, 75.0%, and 75.0%, and 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-year overall survival rates were 91.7%, 75.0%, 50.0%, and 41.7%, respectively. No severe complications related to ablation occurred, except 3 (3/12, 25%) patients developed hypertension during ablation. Conclusions: US-PMWA assisted by 3D visualization preoperative treatment planning system maybe a safe and efficient therapy for LAM, which could promote ablation precision, improve the clinical outcomes