Reclassification of tumor size for solitary HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma by minimum p value method: a large retrospective study
Abstract Background and Objectives Tumor size is one of the most important issues for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment and prognosis but the classification of it still controversial. The aim of this study was to screen appropriate cutoffs for size of solitary HBV-related HCC. Methods A cohort of 1760 patients with solitary HBV-related HCC undergoing curative liver resection were divided into 11 groups based on tumor size in 1-cm intervals. The minimum p value method was used to screen the appropriate size cutoff according to overall survival (OS). Results There are 8 dichotomy, 8 trichotomy and 14 inquartation cutoffs were screened when classifying tumor sizes in accordance with OS. After reclassified patients into three new classifications: ≤ 3cm (n = 422), > 3 and ≤ 9cm (n = 1072), and > 9cm (n = 266). The comparison of clinicopathologic characteristics among these three classifications showed that the increase of tumor size was associated with the increase of α-fetoprotein (AFP), Microvascular invasion (MVI), tumor differentiation, and liver cirrhosis. And the comparison of the OS among three classifications showed statistical differences. Conclusions This study suggested that size criteria of 3cm and 9cm in solitary HBV-related HCC patients were appropriate based on biological characteristics and prognostic significance.