scholarly journals Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a Large Canadian Urban Centre: Stage at Treatment and Its Potential Determinants

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 150-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Korosh Khalili ◽  
Ravi Menezes ◽  
Leyla Kochak Yazdi ◽  
Hyun-Jung Jang ◽  
Tae Kyoung Kim ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there is a significant difference in tumour stage between patients initially found with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at a tertiary hepatobiliary centre and patients referred with tumours detected elsewhere; and to determine variables associated with referral in a palliative stage.METHODS: A retrospective review of 12,199 patients seen at a liver clinic over a 10.5-year period revealed 236 patients with HCC first detected internally (internal) and 163 who were referred with a known mass (referred). All patients were staged at the time of treatment using the Milan criteria for transplantation and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system. Curative disease was defined as BCLC stages 0 and A. In the referred group, univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine which of the following factors were significantly associated with presentation in a palliative stage: age, sex, ethnicity, cause of liver disease, presence of cirrhosis, location of residence and quintile of neighbourhood income.RESULTS: In comparing the internal versus referred patients, significant differences were found in the proportion of patients fulfilling Milan criteria (72% versus 36%), those with curative disease (75% versus 49%) and those with very early stage tumour (BCLC stage 0, 23% versus 7%); all differences were statistically significant (P<0.001). In patients referred for treatment of HCC from an outside institution, none of the variables tested were associated with presentation in a palliative stage.CONCLUSION: Patients with HCC referred to a liver treatment centre were more likely to be in palliative stages than those whose tumour was detected internally.

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 267-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Korosh Khalili ◽  
Ravi Menezes ◽  
Tae Kyoung Kim ◽  
Leyla Kochak Yazdi ◽  
Hyun-Jung Jang ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using ultrasound (US) in North America has been questioned due to the predominance of patients of Caucasian ethnicity and larger body habitus.OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of US surveillance for HCC in a Canadian hepatobiliary centre and to identify independent variables associated with early detection of tumour(s).METHODS: A retrospective review of patients with first HCC in a US surveillance population at the authors’ hospital yielded 201 patients (over a 10.5-year period). Patients were categorized into three groups: regular surveillance (frequency of surveillance ≤12 months [n=109]); irregular surveillance (frequency of surveillance >12 months [n=38]); or first surveillance (tumour detected on first scan [n=54]). The Milan criteria for transplantation and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system were used as outcome measures. Effective surveillance was defined as tumour detection within Milan criteria or curative BCLC stages 0 and A; its association with multiple patient- and disease-related variables was tested.RESULTS: When using the Milan criteria as outcome, 84 of 109 (77%) regular surveillance patients, 23 of 38 (61%) irregular surveillance patients and 40 of 54 (74%) first surveillance patients had tumours meeting the transplantation criteria. The difference between regular and irregular surveillance was statistically significant (P=0.03). When using the BCLC staging system, 87 of 109 (80%) regular surveillance patients, 26 of 38 (68%) irregular surveillance patients and 41 of 54 (76%) first surveillance patients had their tumours detected in BCLC curative stages (0 and A; P=0.11). Regular surveillance was the only variable significantly associated with detection of tumour(s) within the Milan criteria (OR 2.76 [95% CI 1.10 to 6.88]). Tumours detected more recently were more likely to be <2 cm in size (BCLC stage 0; OR 2.38 [95% CI 1.07 to 5.31]).CONCLUSION: A high rate of HCC surveillance success was achieved using US alone when performed regularly in a specialized hepatobiliary centre.


Author(s):  
Kota Takaki ◽  
Masahito Nakano ◽  
Kazuta Fukumori ◽  
Yoichi Yano ◽  
Yuki Zaizen ◽  
...  

We aimed to compare prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) following percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (PRFA) with or without chemolipiodolization (CL) for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using propensity score-matched analysis. We enrolled 221 patients with early-stage HCC who received PRFA with (n = 76) or without (n = 145) CL in Saga Central Hospital between April 2004 and December 2020. No significant difference was observed in OS between PRFA with and without CL cohorts (median survival time [MST]: 5.4 vs. 4.5 years; p = 0.0806). To reduce confounding effects, 108 patients were selected using propensity score-matched analysis (n = 54 for each treatment). No significant difference was observed in OS between the cohorts (MST: 3.6 vs. 4.0 years; p = 0.5474). After stratification according to tumor size, no significant difference was observed in OS for patients with tumor size ≥20 mm between PRFA with and without CL cohorts (MST: 3.4 vs. 3.5 years; p = 0.8236). PRFA with CL was not a significant prognostic factor in both univariate and multivariate analyses (p = 0.5477 and 0.9600, respectively). Our findings suggest that PRFA with CL does not demonstrate longer prognostic effects than PRFA without CL in early-stage HCC, regardless of tumor size.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 3730
Author(s):  
Berend R. Beumer ◽  
Roeland F. de Wilde ◽  
Herold J. Metselaar ◽  
Robert A. de Man ◽  
Wojciech G. Polak ◽  
...  

For patients presenting with hepatocellular carcinoma within the Milan criteria, either liver resection or liver transplantation can be performed. However, to what extent either of these treatment options is superior in terms of long-term survival is unknown. Obviously, the comparison of these treatments is complicated by several selection processes. In this article, we comprehensively review the current literature with a focus on factors accounting for selection bias. Thus far, studies that did not perform an intention-to-treat analysis conclude that liver transplantation is superior to liver resection for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma. In contrast, studies performing an intention-to-treat analysis state that survival is comparable between both modalities. Furthermore, all studies demonstrate that disease-free survival is longer after liver transplantation compared to liver resection. With respect to the latter, implications of recurrences for survival are rarely discussed. Heterogeneous treatment effects and logical inconsistencies indicate that studies with a higher level of evidence are needed to determine if liver transplantation offers a survival benefit over liver resection. However, randomised controlled trials, as the golden standard, are believed to be infeasible. Therefore, we suggest an alternative research design from the causal inference literature. The rationale for a regression discontinuity design that exploits the natural experiment created by the widely adopted Milan criteria will be discussed. In this type of study, the analysis is focused on liver transplantation patients just within the Milan criteria and liver resection patients just outside, hereby ensuring equal distribution of confounders.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 317-317
Author(s):  
Kazufumi Kobayashi ◽  
Sadahisa Ogasawara ◽  
Aya Takahashi ◽  
Yuya Seko ◽  
Satoshi Tsuchiya ◽  
...  

317 Background: There have been considerable advances in systemic chemotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in recent times. Currently, four molecular target agents (MTA) are available for HCC treatment in Japan. Sequential therapy using multiple MTAs is being considered as the gold standard of treatment. However, the effectiveness of the treatment strategy transition for HCC remains unclear. The present study aimed to clarify the current practical use of MTAs and its effectiveness in HCC treatment. Methods: In this multicenter, retrospective study, we collected and analyzed the clinical data of 877 patients who underwent MTA therapy for HCC from June 2009 to March 2019 at several institutes in Japan. The patients were classified into 3 groups as per the period of initial MTA treatment beginning (period 1: 2009–2012, n = 267; period 2: 2013–2016, n = 352; period 3: 2017–2019, n = 258). These 3 periods were defined to have approximately same term. Period 3 means the era of multiple MTAs because of the approval of regorafenib in Japan in 2017. We assessed the patient characteristics, MTA use, and prognosis of the 3 groups. Results: The proportion of patients with advanced-stage HCC, defined according to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging system, in each period was 70.1%, 66.5%, and 62.0% in period 1, 2, and 3, respectively. MTA use for intermediate stages increased with the passage of time ( p = 0.052). The proportion of multiple MTAs use was remarkably increased in the 3 groups (1.1%, 10.2%, and 42.6%, respectively, p < 0.0001). Child-Pugh score, proportion of macrovascular invasion, extrahepatic metastasis, and α-fetoprotein (AFP) ≥400 ng/mL showed no significant difference among the 3 groups. The median overall survival was 11.9 months for the entire cohort and 10.4, 11.3, and 15.2 months, for period 1, 2, and 3, respectively. It is noteworthy that the prognosis of patients with HCC improved over time ( p = 0.016). With respect to progression-free survival, the median value was 3.0 months for the entire cohort and 2.7, 2.8, and 4.7 months for period 1, 2, and 3, respectively ( p < 0.0001). The treatment duration was also prolonged with time (2.7, 3.2, and 6.6 months for period 1, 2, and 3, respectively; p < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis using Cox proportional hazard model showed that HCV infection, Child-Pugh score, performance status, α-fetoprotein ≥400 ng/mL, presence of macrovascular invasion, and period 3 for initial MTA introduction were independent prognostic factors. Conclusions: Sequential therapy with multiple MTAs has gained popularity with time and is considered to improve patient prognosis. The development of MTA therapy for HCC is expected to continue. Therefore, further studies are needed to help determine the appropriate drugs, the sequence of MTA use, and the precise transition time.


2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (4_suppl) ◽  
pp. 463-463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Uan-Sian Feng ◽  
Vincent D. Marshall ◽  
Neehar Parikh

463 Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an increasingly common and highly morbid malignancy worldwide, including the US. For early stage patients ablative strategies are important potentially curative treatment options. Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has emerged as a promising non-surgical ablative therapy, although it is technically demanding and its comparison with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) remains confined to a single institution retrospective review. We queried the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database to assess RFA and SBRT use in the US. Methods: We identified patients greater than 65 years old who were diagnosed from 2004-11 with stage I or II HCC and treated with RFA or SBRT. Survival analysis was conducted using Kaplan-Meier curves and log rank test. Factors associated with overall survival (OS) and early ( ≤ 90 day) hospital admission post-treatment were identified using propensity score (PS) adjusted multivariate analysis. Results: 825 patients were identified, 747 treated with RFA and 78 SBRT. 22 pts received both treatments and were excluded from this analysis. The mean Charlson comorbidity index was 1.0±1.1. Median age was 74, range 66-90. Patients who received RFA were more likely to live in the West and have liver decompensation. Patients who received SBRT were more likely to be white and treated in the Midwest. After using PS matching there were 78 in each cohort. In these patients, mean overall survival (OS) was 2.25 and 2.04 yrs for RFA and SBRT, p = 0.06. Younger age, lack of liver decompensation, treatment in the West, and liver transplantation were associated with longer OS, HR 0.96, p = 0.05; HR 0.37, p = 0.002; HR 0.57, p = 0.04; HR 0.18, p = 0.008, respectively. 90 day hospitalization rates did not differ between treatments; only liver decompensation was predictive of hospitalization, OR 3.33, p = 0.032. Conclusions: In a national cohort of early stage HCC patients, treatment with RFA vs SBRT resulted in no significant difference in OS. SBRT appears to be a comparable ablative strategy to RFA in this population. This highlights the need for a randomized trial comparing these two modalities.


2010 ◽  
Vol 24 (11) ◽  
pp. 643-650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly W Burak ◽  
Norman M Kneteman

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of only a few malignancies with an increasing incidence in North America. Because the vast majority of HCCs occur in the setting of a cirrhotic liver, management of this malignancy is best performed in a multidisciplinary group that recognizes the importance of liver function, as well as patient and tumour characteristics. The Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system is preferred for HCC because it incorporates the tumour characteristics (ie, tumour-node-metastasis stage), the patient’s performance status and liver function according to the Child-Turcotte-Pugh classification, and then links the BCLC stage to recommended therapeutic interventions. However, the BCLC algorithm does not recognize the potential role of radiofrequency ablation for very early stage HCC, the expanding role of liver transplantation in the management of HCC, the role of transarterial chemoembolization in single large tumours, the potential role of transarterial radioembolization with90Yttrium and the limited evidence for using sorafenib in Child-Turcotte-Pugh class B cirrhotic patients. The current review article presents an evidence-based approach to the multidisciplinary management of HCC along with a new algorithm for the management of HCC that incorporates the BCLC staging system and the authors’ local selection criteria for resection, ablative techniques, liver transplantation, transarterial chemoembolization, transarterial radioembolization and sorafenib in Alberta.


Cancer ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 120 (11) ◽  
pp. 1725-1732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pardha Devaki ◽  
Robert J. Wong ◽  
Vidyasagargoud Marupakula ◽  
Sharad Nangia ◽  
Long Nguyen ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhi-Yuan Chen ◽  
Zhi-Xing Guo ◽  
Liang-He Lu ◽  
Jie Mei ◽  
Wen-Ping Lin ◽  
...  

Abstract Background. The vessels encapsulating tumor clusters (VETC) pattern is an effective predictor of survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after resection. The predictive value of VETC in recurrent early-stage HCC remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the prognostic significance of VETC in patients with recurrent early-stage HCC after repeat hepatic resection (RHR) or radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Methods. From December 2005 to December 2016, 138 patients who underwent RHR and 188 patients who underwent RFA were enrolled. VETC was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining for CD34. The survival outcomes of treatment for patients with or without the VETC pattern was investigated. Results. Among VETC-positive HCC patients, 50 patients underwent RHR, and 69 patients underwent RFA; among VETC-negative HCC patients, 88 patients underwent RHR, and 119 patients underwent RFA. There was no significant difference between the RHR and RFA groups in disease-free survival (DFS) or overall survival (OS) as determined by univariate analysis of the whole cohort. In the subgroup analysis of the VETC-positive cohort, the patients in the RHR group had a longer median DFS time compared to those in the RFA group (15.0 vs 5.0 months, P=0.001). Similarly, the patients in the RHR group had a longer median OS time compared to those in the RFA group (39.5 vs 19 months, P=0.001). In the VETC-negative cohort, there was no significant difference in DFS and OS rates between the RHR and RFA groups (P>0.05).Conclusions. The results of our study suggested that RHR was relatively safe and superior to RFA in improving survival outcomes for recurrent early-stage HCC after initial hepatectomy. Furthermore, the VETC pattern may represent a reliable marker for selecting HCC patients who may benefit from RHR.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document