ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the role of preoperative serological indexes in predicting long-term survival and tumor recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients after liver transplantation, aiming to explore its significance in expanding the Milan criteria. Methods Clinical data of 669 recipients undergoing liver transplantation for HCC were retrospectively analyzed. The optimal cut-off value was calculated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The risk factors affecting the overall survival and recurrence-free survival rates of HCC patients after liver transplantation were identified by univariate and multivariate regression analyses. The correlation between preoperative serum liver enzymes and pathological characteristics in HCC patients was analyzed. The predictive values of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) combined with γ -glutamyl transferase (GGT) and different liver transplant criteria for the survival and recurrence of HCC patients after liver transplantation were compared. Results Exceeded Milan criteria, total tumor diameter (TTD) > 8 cm, AFP > 200 ng/mL and GGT > 84 U/L were the independent risk factors for the overall survival and recurrence-free survival rates of HCC patients after liver transplantation (all P < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed that preoperative serum GGT level was correlated with TTD, number of tumor, venous invasion, microsatellite lesions, capsular invasion, tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) stage, Child-Pugh score and exceeded Milan criteria (all P < 0.05). Milan-AFP-GGT-TTD (M-AGT) criteria were proposed by combining Milan criteria, TTD with serum liver enzyme indexes (AFP and GGT). The 5-year overall survival and recurrence-free survival rates of HCC recipients who met the M-AGT criteria (111 cases of exceeded Milan criteria) were significantly higher than those who met Hangzhou criteria (both P < 0.05), whereas had no significant difference from their counterparts who met the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) criteria (both P > 0.05). Conclusions Preoperative serological indexes of AFP and GGT could effectively predict the long-term survival and tumor recurrence of HCC patients after liver transplantation. Establishing the M-AGT criteria based on serological indexes contributes to expanding the Milan criteria, which is convenient and feasible.
ABSTRACT
Objective: The effect of thymosin alpha 1 (Tα1) on patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after radical hepatectomy was assessed. Methods: A total of 558 HCC patients treated by radical hepatectomy were retrospectively collected. Patients in the treatment group (n=146) received postoperative Tα1 therapy, whereas patients in the control group (n=412) did not. Propensity scale matching was conducted to improve the balance between the two groups. Changes in liver function, recurrence-free survival rates, and overall survival rates were compared between the two groups. Results: Postoperative liver function (i.e., TBIL, ALB, ALT, and PT) in the treatment group was significantly better than that in the control group (P<0.05). The one-, two-, and three-year recurrence-free survival rates and overall survival rates in the treatment group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P=0.019 and P=0.011, respectively). Conclusion:Postoperative Tα1 therapy can improve postoperative liver function, thus significantly prolonging recurrence-free survival and overall survival.
ABSTRACT
Objective:The effect of antiviral therapy for hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after radical hepatectomy was assessed. Methods:A total of 478 HBV-HCC patients treated by radical hepatectomy were retrospectively col-lected. Patients in the treatment group (n=141) received postoperative lamivudine therapy (100 mg/d), whereas patients in the control group (n=337) did not. Recurrence-free survival rates, overall survival rates, treatments for recurrent HCC and cause of death were com-pared between the two groups. Propensity score matching was also conducted to reduce confounding bias between the groups. Results:The one-, three-, and five-year recurrence-free survival rates didn't significantly differ between the two groups (P=0.778);however, the one-, three-, and five-year overall survival rates in the treatment group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P=0.002). Similar results were observed in the matched data. Subgroup analysis showed that antiviral treatment conferred a significant sur-vival benefit for Barcelona Clinical Liver Cancer stage A/B patients. Following HCC recurrence, more people in the treatment group were able to choose curative treatments than those in the control group (P=0.031). For cause of death, fewer people in the treatment group died of liver failure than those in the control group (P=0.041). Conclusion:Postoperative antiviral therapy increases chances of receiving curative treatments for recurrent HCC and prevents death because of liver failure, thereby significantly prolonging overall sur-vival, especially in early-or intermedian-stage tumors.