Comparison of 7 staging systems for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing transarterial chemoembolization

Development of Hong Kong Liver Cancer staging system with treatment stratification for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND & AIMS

We aimed to develop a prognostic classification scheme with treatment guidance for Asian patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

We collected data from 3856 patients with HCC predominantly related to hepatitis B treated at Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong from January 1995 through December 2008. Data on patient performance status, Child-Pugh grade, tumor status (size, number of nodules, and presence of intrahepatic vascular invasion), and presence of extrahepatic vascular invasion or metastasis were included, and randomly separated into training and test sets for analysis. Cox regression and classification and regression tree analyses were used to account for the relative effects of factors in predicting overall survival times and to classify disparate treatment decision rules, respectively; the staging system and treatment recommendation then were constructed by integration of clinical judgments. The Hong Kong Liver Cancer (HKLC) classification was compared with the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) classification in terms of discriminatory ability and effectiveness of treatment recommendation.

RESULTS

The HKLC system had significantly better ability than the BCLC system to distinguish between patients with specific overall survival times (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values, approximately 0.84 vs 0.80; concordance index, 0.74 vs 0.70). More importantly, HKLC identified subsets of BCLC intermediate- and advanced-stage patients for more aggressive treatments than what were recommended by the BCLC system, which improved survival outcomes. Of BCLC-B patients classified as HKLC-II in our system, the survival benefit of radical therapies, compared with transarterial chemoembolization, was substantial (5-year survival probability, 52.1% vs 18.7%; P < .0001). In BCLC-C patients classified as HKLC-II, the survival benefit of radical therapies compared with systemic therapy was even more pronounced (5-year survival probability, 48.6% vs 0.0%; P < .0001).

CONCLUSIONS

We collected data from patients with HCC in Hong Kong to create a system to identify patients who are suitable for more aggressive treatment than the currently used BCLC system. The HKLC system should be validated in non-Asian patient populations and in patients with different etiologies of HCC.

Prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients with preoperative radiotherapy: Comparison of different cancer staging systems

BACKGROUND

The 7th edition American Joint Committee on Cancer tumor-node-metastasis (AJCC TNM) staging system was published in 2010. Here we evaluate its predictive ability and compare the 6th and 7th editions of the AJCC TNM staging systems in esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) with preoperative radiotherapy.

METHODS

A total of 296 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients receiving preoperative radiotherapy between 1980 and 2007 were included. Patients were staged using the 6th and 7th edition staging systems. Survival analyses were performed using Cox regression models. The homogeneity, discriminatory ability, and monotonicity of gradients of the two staging systems were compared using linear trend χ(2), likelihood ratio statistics, and Akaike information criterion calculation.

RESULTS

The overall five-year survival rate for the entire cohort was 27.1%. Female gender, length, "T," and "N," classifications according to the 7th edition staging system were the prognostic factors in univariate analyses. However, tumor histological grade and cancer location did not significantly influence patient survival. The 7th edition staging system has the highest linear trend χ(2)and likelihood ratio χ(2)scores. Compared to the 6th edition, the 7th edition staging system also has a smaller Akaike information criterion value, which represents the optimum prognostic stratification.

CONCLUSIONS

The strength of the 7th edition AJCC TNM staging system lies in the new descriptors for "T" and "N" classifications. However, we did not find cancer location to be a significant prognostic factor in our cohort. Overall, the 7th edition AJCC TNM staging system performed better than the previous edition.

Biomarker-based prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma: validation and extension of the BALAD model

BACKGROUND

The Japanese 'BALAD' model offers the first objective, biomarker-based, tool for assessment of prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma, but relies on dichotomisation of the constituent data, has not been externally validated, and cannot be applied to the individual patients.

METHODS

In this Japanese/UK collaboration, we replicated the original BALAD model on a UK cohort and then built a new model, BALAD-2, on the original raw Japanese data using variables in their continuous form. Regression analyses using flexible parametric models with fractional polynomials enabled fitting of appropriate baseline hazard functions and functional form of covariates. The resulting models were validated in the respective cohorts to measure the predictive performance.

RESULTS

The key prognostic features were confirmed to be Bilirubin and Albumin together with the serological cancer biomarkers, AFP-L3, AFP, and DCP. With appropriate recalibration, the model offered clinically relevant discrimination of prognosis in both the Japanese and UK data sets and accurately predicted patient-level survival.

CONCLUSIONS

The original BALAD model has been validated in an international setting. The refined BALAD-2 model permits estimation of patient-level survival in UK and Japanese cohorts.

Prognosis of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: comparison of seven staging systems (TNM, Okuda, BCLC, CLIP, CUPI, JIS, CIS) in a Chinese cohort

BACKGROUND

Many liver staging systems that include the tumor stage and the extent of liver function have been developed. However, prognosis assessment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains controversial. In this study, the performances of 7 staging systems were compared in a cohort of patients with HCC who underwent non-surgical treatment.

METHODS

A total of 196 consecutive patients with HCC who underwent non-surgical treatment seen between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2007, were included. Performances of TNM sixth edition, Okuda, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC), Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (CLIP), Chinese University Prognostic Index (CUPI), Japan Integrated Staging (JIS), and China integrated score (CIS) have been compared and ranked using concordance index (c-index). Predictors of survival were identified using univariate and multivariate Cox model analyses.

RESULTS

The median survival time for the cohort was 7.6 months (95% CI 5.6-9.7). The independent predictors of survival were performance status (P<.001), serum sodium (P<.001), alkaline phosphatase (P<.001), tumor diameter greater than 5 cm (P = .001), portal vein invasion (P<.001), lymph node metastasis (P = .025), and distant metastasis (P = .004). CUPI staging system had the best independent predictive power for survival when compared with the other six prognostic systems. Performance status and serum sodium improved the discriminatory ability of CUPI.

CONCLUSION

In our selected patient population whose main etiology is hepatitis B, CUPI was the most suitable staging system in predicting survival in patients with unresectable HCC. BCLC was the second top-ranking staging system. CLIP, JIS, CIS, and TNM sixth edition were not helpful in predicting survival outcome, and their use is not supported by our data.

Comparing staging systems for predicting prognosis and survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in Egypt

Introduction

Several hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) staging systems are available. Although the European Association for Study of Liver Diseases (EASL) and American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) recommended the use of Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC), many studies in different populations revealed heterogeneous results. The aim of this study was to compare different staging systems for predicting prognosis and survival, and for stratifying HCC patients for treatment at a national referral centre for liver disease in Egypt.

Methods

2000 Patients were included in this study. Baseline demographic, clinical, laboratory, and radiological data were determined at diagnosis. Patients were stratified using the Okuda, BCLC, Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (CLIP), and Japan Integrated Staging (JIS). Patients’ survival in different stages within each staging system and the validity of the system in predicting survival were compared.

Results

The overall survival was 15 months. The 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-year survival of the entire cohort was 56%, 34%, 25% and 15% respectively. The presence of ascites, multiple focal lesions, large tumour size >5 cm, portal vein thrombosis, extra-hepatic spread, AFP≥200 ng/ml and poor Child score were independent predictors of survival (p<0.001). All staging systems were significant in determining overall survival in univariate and multivariate analyses. BCLC was the most predictive staging system for the whole cohort (p<0.001). Among the subgroup of patients offered potentially curative therapy, BCLC was the most informative system in predicting patient survival (p<0.001). For patients with advanced HCC not amenable for specific therapy, CLIP was the best staging system for predicting prognosis (p<0.001).

Conclusion

BCLC staging system provided the best prognostic stratification for HCC patients. However, CLIP score has the highest stratification ability in patients with advanced HCC highlighting the importance of including AFP in best staging system.

N stages of the seventh edition of TNM Classification are the most intensive variables for predictions of the overall survival of gastric cancer patients who underwent limited lymphadenectomy

The objective of this study was to explore the prognostic prediction rationality of the seventh edition N stage for gastric cancer (GC) patients who underwent the limited lymphadenectomy. Clinicopathological data of 769 GC patients who underwent the curative resection between 1997 and 2006 were analyzed for demonstration that the seventh edition N stage had the significant superiorities of prognostic prediction to the patients who underwent the limited lymphadenectomy. Although the extent of lymphadenectomy was associated with the overall survival (OS) of gastric cancer (GC) patients, the N stages of the seventh edition of the TNM Classification were identified as the most intensively independent predictors of GC prognosis. Using stratum analysis, the 5-year survival rate of patients who underwent limited lymphadenectomy was observed to be significantly different from that of patients who underwent extended lymphadenectomy, regardless of the extent of lymph node metastasis. Multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed that combining the extents of lymph node metastasis and lymphadenectomy could improve the prediction accuracy of patient survival status. Case control analysis showed that regardless of the extent of lymphadenectomy, the seventh edition N stages featured significant superiority for OS evaluation of GC patients. The seventh edition N stage had the prediction rationality for the OS of GC patients who underwent the limited lymphadenectomy.

Negative node count improvement prognostic prediction of the seventh edition of the TNM classification for gastric cancer

OBJECTIVE

To demonstrate that the seventh edition of the tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) classification for gastric cancer (GC) should be updated with the number of negative lymph nodes for the improvement of its prognostic prediction accuracy.

METHODS

Clinicopathological data of 769 GC patients who underwent curative gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy between 1997 and 2006 were retrospectively analyzed to demonstrate the superiority of prognostic efficiency of the seventh edition of the TNM classification, which can be improved by combining the number of negative lymph nodes.

RESULTS

With the Cox regression multivariate analysis, the seventh edition of the TNM classification, the number of negative nodes, the type of gastrectomy, and the depth of tumor invasion (T stage) were identified as independent factors for predicting the overall survival of GC patients. Furthermore, we confirmed that the T stage-N stage-number of negative lymph nodes-metastasis (TNnM) classification is the most appropriate prognostic predictor of GC patients by using case-control matched fashion and multinominal logistic regression. Finally, we were able to clarify that TNnM classification may provide more precise survival differences among the different TNM sub-stages of GC by using the measure of agreement (Kappa coefficient), the McNemar value, the Akaike information criterion, and the Bayesian Information Criterion compared with the seventh edition of the TNM classification.

CONCLUSION

The number of negative nodes, as an important prognostic predictor of GC, can improve the prognostic prediction efficiency of the seventh edition of the TNM classification for GC, which should be recommended for conventional clinical applications.

Radiographic parameters in predicting outcome of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated with yttrium-90 microsphere radioembolization

Background. In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, selection criteria for transarterial hepatic selective internal radiotherapy are imprecise. Additionally, radiographic parameters to predict outcome of transarterial hepatic selective internal radiotherapy have not been fully characterized. Patients and methods. Computed tomography (CT) scans of 23 patients with unresectable primary hepatocellular carcinoma before and after transarterial hepatic selective internal radiotherapy with yttrium-90 microspheres were retrospectively reviewed. Selected radiographic parameters were evaluated and correlated with progression-free survival and overall survival. Response to treatment was assessed with Response RECIST 1.1 and Morphology, Attenuation, Size, and Structure (MASS) criteria. Results. On the post-SIRT CT, 68% of tumors demonstrated decreased size (median decrease of 0.8 cm, P = 0.3); 64% had decreased attenuation (median decrease 5.7 HU, P = 0.06), and 48% demonstrated increased tumor necrosis (P < 0.001). RECIST-defined partial response was seen in 10% patients, stable disease in 80%, and 10% had disease progression. Median progression-free survival was 3.9 months (range, 3.3 to 7.3), and median overall survival was 11.2 months (7.1 to 31.1). Pretreatment lower hepatopulmonary shunt fraction, central hypervascularity, and well-defined tumor margins were associated with improved progression-free survival. Conclusion. In patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, pretreatment CT parameters may predict favorable response to SIRT and improve patient selection.

A New Subclassification of pT4 Gastric Cancers According to the Width of Serosal Invasion

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to propose a novel subclassification of pT4 gastric cancers according to the width of serosal changes and to investigate the validity and clinical utility of this subclassification as a predictor of prognosis.

METHODS

A total of 780 pT4 stage gastric cancer patients classified according to the 7th American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system were reviewed. Clinicopathologic features were compared between patients with narrow serosal changes (nSE), wide serosal changes (wSE) and invasions of adjacent structures (SI). Prognostic factors were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses. The 7th AJCC and novel pT4 subclassification were compared for prognostic performance using the linear trend chi-square test, likelihood ratio chi-square test, and Akaike information criterion (AIC) in the Cox regression analysis.

RESULTS

The appropriate serosa infiltrate cutoff value was 8 cm. Most of the evaluated clinicopathologic features significantly differed between nSE and SI cancers. Only 3 factors were significantly different between wSE and SI cancers. The 5-year survival rates for patients with the novel pT4a and pT4b cancers were 47.2% and 14.52%, respectively, while they were 41.66% and 16.34% for the 7th AJCC pT4a and pT4b cancers, respectively. The novel pT4 subclassification had better discriminatory ability, monotonicity of gradients, and homogeneity and had smaller AIC values compared with the 7th AJCC pT4.

CONCLUSIONS

It is reasonable to subclassify pT4 to pT4a (nSE) and pT4b (wSE/SI) because the novel pT4 subclassification had more potential to identify the different prognoses for patients with gastric cancer.

Assessment of preoperative magnetic resonance imaging staging in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing resection compared with the seventh American Joint Committee on Cancer System

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to compare the prognostic utility of a staging system using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with the seventh American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent hepatic resection.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 175 consecutive patients with HCC who underwent curative hepatic resection after MRI between January 2000 and December 2007 were analyzed. In lieu of microvascular invasion, which is used by the AJCC staging system, we devised an MRI staging system in which a size criterion of 2 cm was used to differentiate between tumor stages 1 and 2. All patients were retrospectively staged using the seventh AJCC staging system and the preoperative MRI staging system. Differences in disease-free and overall survival rates between different stages by the MRI and AJCC staging systems were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank testing. The predictive accuracy of the 2 staging systems was directly compared using the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.

RESULTS

Median follow-up period was 222.9 weeks. During the follow-up period, 74 (42.3%) patients experienced tumor recurrence and 22 (12.6%) died. The median disease-free survival and overall survival were 131.1 and 222.9 weeks, respectively. Both staging systems were excellent for the prediction of disease-free survival across different tumor stages but failed to predict overall survival differences between stages 1 and 2. For disease-free and overall survivals, the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed no significant differences in predictive accuracy between the 2 staging systems.

CONCLUSION

A preoperative MRI staging system using a size threshold instead of microvascular invasion may predict the prognosis of HCC patients undergoing hepatic resection as accurately as the seventh AJCC tumor-node-metastasis staging system.

The Glasgow Prognostic Score, an inflammation based prognostic score, predicts survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Elevated Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) has been related to poor prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing surgical resection or receiving sorafenib. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of GPS in patients with various stages of the disease and with different liver functional status.

METHODS

One hundred and fifty patients with newly diagnosed HCC were prospectively evaluated. Patients were divided according to their GPS scores. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify clinicopathological variables associated with overall survival; the identified variables were then compared with those of other validated staging systems.

RESULTS

Elevated GPS were associated with increased asparate aminotransferase (P<0.0001), total bilirubin (P<0.0001), decreased albumin (P<0.0001), α-fetoprotein (P=0.008), larger tumor diameter (P=0.003), tumor number (P=0.041), vascular invasion (P=0.0002), extra hepatic metastasis (P=0.02), higher Child-Pugh scores (P<0.0001), and higher Cancer Liver Italian Program scores (P<0.0001). On multivariate analysis, the elevated GPS was independently associated with worse overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate that the GPS can serve as an independent marker of poor prognosis in patients with HCC in various stages of disease and different liver functional status.

Treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies, with an increasing incidence. With advances in surgical techniques and instrumentation and the development of molecular-target drugs, a number of potentially curative treatments have become available. Management of HCC patients depends on the stage of their tumor. Liver resection remains the first choice for very early-stage HCC, but it is being challenged by local ablative therapy. For early-stage HCC that meet the Milan criteria, liver transplantation still offers a better outcome; however, local ablative therapy can be a substitute when transplantation is not feasible. Local ablation is also used as a bridging therapy toward liver transplantation. HCC recurrence is the main obstacle to successful treatment, and there is currently no effective means of preventing or treating HCC recurrence. Transarterial therapy is considered suitable for intermediate-stage HCC, while sorafenib is recommended for advanced-stage HCC. This stage-based approach to therapy not only provides acceptable outcomes but also improves the quality of life of HCC patients. Because of the complexity of HCC, therapeutic approaches must be adapted according to the characteristics of each individual patient. This review discusses the current standards and trends in the treatment of HCC.

Prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Validation and ranking of established staging-systems in a large western HCC-cohort

Background

HCC is diagnosed in approximately half a million people per year, worldwide. Staging is a more complex issue than in most other cancer entities and, mainly due to unique geographic characteristics of the disease, no universally accepted staging system exists to date. Focusing on survival rates we analyzed demographic, etiological, clinical, laboratory and tumor characteristics of HCC-patients in our institution and applied the common staging systems. Furthermore we aimed at identifying the most suitable of the current staging systems for predicting survival.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Overall, 405 patients with HCC were identified from an electronic medical record database. The following seven staging systems were applied and ranked according to their ability to predict survival by using the Akaike information criterion (AIC) and the concordance-index (c-index): BCLC, CLIP, GETCH, JIS, Okuda, TNM and Child-Pugh. Separately, every single variable of each staging system was tested for prognostic meaning in uni- and multivariate analysis. Alcoholic cirrhosis (44.4%) was the leading etiological factor followed by viral hepatitis C (18.8%). Median survival was 18.1 months (95%-CI: 15.2–22.2). Ascites, bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, AFP, number of tumor nodes and the BCLC tumor extension remained independent prognostic factors in multivariate analysis. Overall, all of the tested staging systems showed a reasonable discriminatory ability. CLIP (closely followed by JIS) was the top-ranked score in terms of prognostic capability with the best values of the AIC and c-index (AIC 2286, c-index 0.71), surpassing other established staging systems like BCLC (AIC 2343, c-index 0.66). The unidimensional scores TNM (AIC 2342, c-index 0.64) and Child-Pugh (AIC 2369, c-index 0.63) performed in an inferior fashion.

Conclusions/Significance

Compared with six other staging systems, the CLIP-score was identified as the most suitable staging system for predicting prognosis in a large German cohort of predominantly non-surgical HCC-patients.

Evaluation of the seventh edition of the tumour, node, metastasis (TNM) classification for colon cancer in two nationwide registries of the United States and Japan

AIM

The new TNM classification is currently being implemented. We evaluated the TNM-7 staging system based on the two nationwide colon cancer registries in the United States and Japan to clarify whether this system better stratifies patients' prognoses than the TNM-6 did and to determine whether stratification can be effectively simplified.

METHODS

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results population-based data from 1988 to 2001 for 50139 colon cancer patients and the multi-institutional registry data from the Japanese Society for Cancer of the Colon and Rectum from 1984 to 1994 for 10754 patients were analysed. We devised a modified version of the TNM-7 staging system to allow simpler classification of the TN categories and compared the TNM-6, TNM-7, modified TNM-7, and the Dukes staging system based on survival curves and objective statistical tests such as likelihood ratio χ(2) tests, Akaike's information criterion, and Harrell's c-index.

RESULTS

The TNM-7 was superior to the TNM-6 in all objective statistical tests in the United States (c-index; 0.700 vs 0.696, P<0.001) as well as in the Japan data sets (0.732 vs 0.729, P=0.035). The modified TNM-7 is much simpler, but it nevertheless showed similar values to those of the original TNM-7 (c-index; the United States 0.702, Japan 0.733).

CONCLUSIONS

  The new TNM-7 is complicated but better at stratifying patients than the TNM-6 in the United States and Japan, and could be effectively simplified.

Comparison of the prognostic value of inflammation-based prognostic scores in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Background:

Inflammation-based prognostic scores including the Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) are associated with survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of these inflammation-based prognostic scores in patients with HCC.

Methods:

In total, 150 patients with newly diagnosed HCC were prospectively evaluated. Patients were divided according to the GPS, modified GPS, NLR, platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), Prognostic Index (PI), and PNI. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) was calculated to compare the predictive ability of each of the scoring systems. A univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to identify the clinicopathological variables associated with overall survival.

Results:

The GPS consistently had a higher AUC value at 6 months (0.768), 12 months (0.787), and 24 months (0.758) in comparison with other inflammation-based prognostic scores. A multivariate analysis showed that the GPS was independently associated with overall survival.

Conclusion:

This study demonstrates that the GPS, an inflammation-based prognostic score, is an independent marker of poor prognosis in patients with HCC and is superior to the other inflammation-based prognostic scores in terms of prognostic ability.

Prognosis predictability of hepatocellular carcinoma according to staging systems in hepatitis B virus-endemic area

BACKGROUND

There is no worldwide consensus on clinical application of staging systems that have been proposed for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study evaluated the predictors of survival and compared the prognosis predictability according to staging systems of HCC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We analyzed the medical records of 142 patients who were consecutively diagnosed as HCC in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-endemic area. To analyze the survival predictors and probability of staging systems, Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard model were used. And to compare the discriminatory ability and predictive power of staging systems for prognosis and survival, likelyhood ratio χ(2) test and Akaike information criterion were applied.

RESULTS

Overall median survival of HCC patients was 24 months and 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rate was 61.3, 49.4, and 45.7%, respectively. Child-Pugh classification (P=0.038) and portal vein thrombosis (PVT) (P=0.022) were ascertained as independent predictors of survival. Although all the staging systems showed a progressive decrease in survival as the tumor stage progressively advanced, the Japan Integrated Staging (JIS) and Chinese University Prognostic Index (CUPI) showed the highest homogeneity (small differences in survival among patients in the same stages), and the best monotonicity of gradient (the survival of patients in earlier stages is longer than the survival of patients in more advanced stages within the same system), respectively.

CONCLUSION

In HBV-endemic area, Child-Pugh classification and PVT were independent predictors for survival, and JIS and CUPI were the most powerful staging systems to predict the prognosis of HCC.

Prognostic significance of tumor deposits in gastric cancer patients who underwent radical surgery

BACKGROUND

To investigate the prognostic significance of tumor deposits (TDs) in gastric cancers patients who underwent radical surgery.

METHODS

Clinicopathologic and prognostic data from 2998 gastric cancer patients who underwent R0 surgery with D2/D3 lymphadenectomy were retrospectively reviewed. A TD was defined as discrete foci of tumor found in the perigastric fat or in adjacent ligament away from the leading edge of the tumor and showing no evidence of residual lymph node tissue, but within the lymph drainage area of the primary carcinoma.

RESULTS

TDs were detected in 17.8% of patients. TDs were more frequently observed in cancers of larger size, of Borrmann type 4, with lymphovascular invasion, deeper in depth of invasion, and with extended lymph node metastasis. Multivariate analysis confirmed the presence of TDs as 1 of independent factors predicting a poorer outcome. When stratified by pN category, significant differences in survival were observed between patients with and without TDs for those in pN0/pT1-3, pN1/pT3, pN2/pT1-3 and pN3/pT2-3 category, but not for those in pT4a and pT4b category. Moreover, for cancers in each pN category, the prognosis for patients with TDs in pT1-4a category was similar with that of those without TDs in pT4a category, but significantly better than that of those with or without TDs in pT4b category. A revised pT category and a revised pTNM system were proposed, in which all the cancers with TDs in pT1-4a category were incorporated into those without TDs in pT4a category according to the pN category. Further analysis revealed the revised pT category and the revised pTNM system had better homogeneity, discriminatory ability, and monotonicity of gradients than the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) pT category and the AJCC pTNM system, respectively, representing optimum prognostic stratification.

CONCLUSION

TDs significantly correlated with gastric cancer patients' survival. It might be more suitable for TDs to be treated as a form of serosal invasion. Consequently, en bloc resection of the primary carcinoma is crucially important, and adjuvant chemotherapy should always be considered if TDs have been detected.

Evaluation of the seventh edition of American Joint Committee on Cancer TNM staging system for gastric cancer: results from a Chinese monoinstitutional study

BACKGROUND

To investigate the validity of the 7th edition of American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM staging system for gastric cancer with special attention paid to pT2/pT3, pN1/pN2, and pN3a/pN3b category.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Clinicopathologic data of 1998 patients underwent R0 surgery for histologically proven gastric cancers with >15 lymph nodes retrieved were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTS

Prognoses were significantly different between pT2 and pT3 categories, between pN1 and pN2 categories, or between pN3a and pN3b categories. Each stage in the 6th edition was divided into the 7th edition stage with different survival rates. Moreover, stage IIIA, IIIB, and IIIC in the 7th edition system was divided into the 6th edition stage with different survival rates. Prognoses for patients in 7th edition T4aN1M0/T3N2M0/T2N3aM0, T4bN0-1M0/T4aN2M0/T3N3aM0, and T4aN3aM0/T4bN2M0 were similar to that of patients in T1N3bM0, T2N3bM0, and T3N3bM0, respectively, but significantly better than that of patients in T2N3bM0, T3N3bM0, and T4aN3bM0, respectively. However, no significant difference could be observed among patients in T4bN3aM0, T4aN3bM0, T4bN3bM0, and stage IV. A revised TNM system was proposed, in which T1N3bM0 was incorporated into stage IIIA, T2N3bM0 into stage IIIB, T3N3bM0 into stage IIIC, T4bN3aM0/T4aN3bM0/T4bN3bM0 into stage IV. Further analyses revealed the revised TNM system had better homogeneity, discriminatory ability, and monotonicity of gradients than the 6th and the 7th edition system.

CONCLUSIONS

It is reasonable to subclassify the 6th edition pT2 category and pN1 category into the 7th edition pT2/pT3 category and pN1/pN2 category, respectively. However, for better prognostic stratification, it might be more suitable for pN3a and pN3b categories to be considered individual determinants of the 7th edition TNM staging system.

Superiority of metastatic lymph node ratio to the 7th edition UICC N staging in gastric cancer

AIM: To compare and evaluate the appropriate prognostic indicators of lymph node basic staging in gastric cancer patients who underwent radical resection.

METHODS: A total of 1042 gastric cancer patients who underwent radical resection and D2 lymphadenectomy were staged using the 6th and 7th edition International Union Against Cancer (UICC) N staging methods and the metastatic lymph node ratio (MLNR) staging. Homogeneity, discriminatory ability, and gradient monotonicity of the various staging methods were compared using linear trend χ², likelihood ratio χ² statistics, and Akaike information criterion (AIC) calculations. The area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to compare the predictive ability of the aforementioned three staging methods.

RESULTS: Optimal cut-points of the MLNR were calculated as MLNR0 (0), MLNR1 (0.01-0.30), MLNR2 (0.31-0.50), and MLNR3 (0.51-1.00). In univariate, multivariate, and stratified analyses, MLNR staging was superior to the 6th and 7th edition UICC N staging methods. MLNR staging had a higher AUC, higher linear trend and likelihood ratio χ² scores and lower AIC values than the other two staging methods.

CONCLUSION: MLNR staging predicts survival after gastric cancer more precisely than the 6th and 7th edition UICC N classifications and should be considered as an alternative to current pathological N staging.

Is the new seventh AJCC/UICC staging system appropriate for patients with gastric cancer?

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical usefulness of the seventh Union Internationale Contre le Cancer/American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC/UICC) staging system vs the sixth AJCC/UICC staging system in patients with gastric cancer.

STUDY DESIGN

Included were 1,799 patients who underwent surgery for gastric cancer between January 2001 and June 2005 at the National Cancer Center (South Korea). For the sixth and seventh AJCC/UICC staging systems, survival outcomes stratified by stage, by T classification, and by N classification were summarized using Kaplan-Meier curves and compared statistically using a log rank test; survival differences were quantified using hazard ratios estimated from a Cox regression model. The 2 systems were compared in terms of prognostic performances using the linear trend chi-square test, likelihood ratio chi-square test, and Akaike information criterion (AIC) in the Cox regression analysis.

RESULTS

Significant survival differences between each stage were not found using the seventh staging system, especially for stages IB, IIA, and IIB (p = 0.14 and p = 0.11). The sixth staging system had higher linear trend chi-square score and likelihood ratio chi-square score, which means better discriminatory ability, monotonicity, and homogeneity, and had smaller AIC, which indicates better optimistic prognostic stratification, especially in the N classification. The modified staging system combining the T classification of the seventh AJCC/UICC system and the N classification of the sixth system showed better prognostic performance compared with each separate version (sixth or seventh) of the staging system.

CONCLUSIONS

The seventh AJCC/UICC staging system is not more clinically useful than the sixth system in surgically treated patients with gastric cancer because of an inappropriate N classification. A new TNM system is required with a different N classification.

Evaluation of the new AJCC staging system for resectable hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to assess the validity of the 7th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM system (TNM-7) for patients undergoing hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

Partial hepatectomies performed for 879 patients from 1993 to 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinicopathological factors, surgical outcome, overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS) were analyzed to evaluate the predictive value of the TNM-7 staging system.

RESULTS

According to the TNM-7 system, differences in five-year survival between stages I, II, and III were statistically significant. Subgroup analysis of stage III patients revealed that the difference between stages II and IIIA was not significant (OS, p = 0.246; DFS, p = 0.105). Further stratification of stages IIIA, IIIB and IIIC also did not reveal significant differences. Cox proportional hazard models of stage III analyses identified additional clinicopathological factors affecting patient survival: lack of tumor encapsulation, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) values > 68 U/L, and blood loss > 500 mL affected DFS whereas lack of tumor encapsulation, AST values > 68 U/L, blood loss > 500 mL, and serum α-fetoprotein (AFP) values > 200 ng/mL were independent factors impairing OS. Stage III factors including tumor thrombus, satellite lesions, and tumor rupture did not appear to influence survival in the stage III subgroup.

CONCLUSIONS

In terms of 5-year survival rates, the TNM-7 system is capable of stratifying post-hepatectomy HCC patients into stages I, II, and III but is unable to stratify stage III patients into stages IIIA, IIIB and IIIC. Lack of tumor encapsulation, AST values > 68 U/L, blood loss > 500 mL, and AFP values > 200 ng/mL are independent prognostic factors affecting long-term survival.

Incorporation of extranodal metastasis of gastric carcinoma into the 7th edition UICC TNM staging system

Background

To assess the clinical significance and prognostic impact of extranodal metastasis (EM) in gastric carcinoma and establish an optimal classification in the staging system.

Methodology/Principal Findings

A total of 1343 patients with gastric carcinoma who underwent surgical resection were recruited to determine the frequency and prognostic significance of EMs. EMs were divided into two groups (EM1 and EM2) and then incorporated into the 7^th edition UICC TNM staging system. EMs was detected in 179 (13.3%) of 1343 patients who underwent radical resection. Multivariate analysis identified EMs as an independent prognostic factor (HR = 1.412, 95%CI = 1.151–1.731, P<0.001). After curative operation, the overall survival rate were worse in patients with ≥3 cases of EM (EM2) than those with the number of 1 and 2 cases (EM1) (P<0.001). Survival of patients with EM1 was found almost comparable to that of N3 stage (P = 0.437). Survival of patients with EM2 showed similar to that of stage IV patients (P = 0.896). By using the linear trend X², likelihood ratio X², and Akaike information criterion (AIC) test, EM1 treated as N3 stage and EM2 treated as M1 stage performed higher linear trend X² scores, likelihood ratio X² scores, and lower AIC value than the 7^th edition UICC TNM staging system, which represented the optimum prognostic stratification, together with better homogeneity, discriminatory ability, and monotonicity of gradients.

Conclusions/Significance

EMs might be classified based on their number and prognostic information and should incorporate into the TNM staging system.

Prognostic prediction across a gradient of total tumor volume in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing locoregional therapy

Background

The size and number of tumors are important prognostic indicators for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, it is difficult to assess the prognosis for patients with a variable number and size of tumors. By combining these two factors, we investigated the role and prognostic accuracy of total tumor volume (TTV) for HCC.

Methods

A total of 786 patients undergoing locoregional therapy (transarterial chemoembolization, percutaneous radiofrequency ablation and acetic acid or ethanol injection) for HCC were prospectively evaluated.

Results

The mean and median TTV was 177 cm³ (range, 0.1-3,591 cm³) and 21 cm³, respectively. Of all, 38%, 29%, 15%, 7% and 11% of patients had TTV of <10 cm³, 10-50 cm³, 50-200 cm³, 200-500 cm³ and >500 cm³, respectively. TTV was significantly larger in patients with higher serum α-fetoprotein (AFP) levels or with vascular invasion. The Child-Turcotte-Pugh score, performance status, vascular invasion, AFP level and TTV were significant independent prognostic predictors in the Cox proportional hazards model. After adjustment, patients with TTV 50-200 cm³ (relative risk [RR]: 1.74, p = 0.009), 200-500 cm³ (RR: 2.15, p = 0.006) and >500 cm³ (RR: 3.92, p < 0.001) had a significantly increased mortality risk in comparison to patients with TTV <10 cm³.

Conclusions

TTV is a feasible prognostic predictor across a wide gradient and can be used to predict the mortality risk of HCC. Selecting appropriate cutoffs of TTV may help refine the design of cancer staging system and treatment planning. Future clinical trials of HCC may include this parameter for mortality risk stratification.

Comparison of the 6th and 7th editions of the UICC TNM staging system for gastric cancer: results of a Chinese single-institution study of 1,503 patients

AIM

To evaluate the prognostic efficacy of the 7th edition tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) classification compared with the 6th edition in gastric cancer patients.

METHODS

A total of 1,503 gastric cancer patients undergoing surgical resection were staged using the 6th and 7th edition staging systems. Homogeneity, discriminatory ability, and monotonicity of gradients of the two systems were compared using linear trend χ(2), likelihood ratio χ(2) statistics, and Akaike information criterion (AIC) calculations.

RESULTS

Significant differences in 5-year survival rates were observed for the T, N, and M subgroups using the 7th edition system, except for stage N2 and N3 patients in the 6th edition system. There were no significant differences in survival between IB and IIA in the 7th edition system. Patients with stage IV disease due to T4/N3 in the 6th edition system who were downstaged to stage III in the 7th edition system had significantly better survival than those who remained at stage IV. The 7th edition system had higher linear trend and likelihood ratio χ(2) scores, and smaller AIC values compared with those for the 6th edition, which represented the optimum prognostic stratification.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that the 7th edition system performs better than the 6th edition in several aspects.

Transarterial chemoembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and renal insufficiency

BACKGROUND

Renal dysfunction is often present in patients with cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Acute renal failure (ARF) may occur after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) owing to radiocontrast agent. This study investigated the incidence and risk factors of ARF and prognostic predictors in HCC patients with preexisting renal insufficiency undergoing TACE.

METHODS

A total of 566 HCC patients undergoing TACE were enrolled. Renal insufficiency was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m.

RESULTS

In a mean follow-up duration of 18+/-16 months, 231 (40.8%) patients undergoing TACE died. Renal insufficiency that was present in 134 (23.7%) patients at baseline, independently predicted a poor prognosis in the Cox proportional hazards model [risk ratio (RR): 1.47, P=0.012]. Of them, 13 (10%) and 6 (5%) patients had transient and prolonged ARF after TACE, respectively. Post-TACE gastrointestinal bleeding [odds ratio (OR): 16.54, P=0.001] and higher Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (CLIP) scores (> or =2; OR: 4.22, P=0.02) were independent risk factors for ARF in the multivariate logistic regression analysis. In the Cox model, prolonged ARF (RR: 3.28, P<0.001) and higher CLIP scores (> or =2; RR: 2.13, P<0.001) were independent poor prognostic predictors for HCC patients with renal insufficiency receiving TACE.

CONCLUSIONS

Gastrointestinal bleeding and higher CLIP scores are associated with the development of ARF in patients with HCC and renal insufficiency undergoing TACE. Higher CLIP scores and renal insufficiency, either preexisting before TACE or as a complication of TACE, are poor prognostic predictors in HCC patients receiving TACE.

Selecting an optimal staging system for hepatocellular carcinoma: comparison of 5 currently used prognostic models

BACKGROUND

Selecting an appropriate staging system is crucial to predict the outcome of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The optimal prognostic model for HCC is under intense debate. This study investigated the prognostic ability of the 5 currently used staging systems, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC), Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (CLIP), Japan Integrated Scoring (JIS) system, tumor-node-metastasis (TNM), and Tokyo score, for HCC.

METHODS

Between 2002 and 2008, 1713 prospectively enrolled HCC patients were compared for their long-term survival by using the Akaike information criterion (AIC) according to the staging or scoring methods of these 5 models.

RESULTS

The mean and median follow-up duration was 18 and 14 months, respectively. Among all patients, the CLIP staging system had the lowest AIC value in comparison with other systems in the Cox proportional hazards model, followed by the Tokyo score, JIS score, BCLC staging system, and TNM staging system. Patients undergoing curative treatment had a significantly better survival in comparison with patients undergoing noncurative treatment (P < .001). When the predictive accuracy of the staging systems was analyzed according to treatment strategy, the CLIP staging system had the lowest AIC value and remained the best prognostic model in patients undergoing curative (801 patients) and noncurative (912 patients) treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

The CLIP staging system is the best long-term prognostic model for HCC in a cohort of patient with early to advanced stage of HCC. Its predictive accuracy is independent of the treatment strategy. Selecting an optimal staging system is helpful in improving the design of future clinical trials.

Locoregional therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma: which patients are most likely to gain a survival advantage?

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Locoregional therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are considered to confer a survival advantage, however, the patient group that should be targeted is not clearly defined. This study aimed to determine the impact on survival of locoregional therapies compared with supportive care, within prognostic categories as stratified by the Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (CLIP) scoring system.

METHODS

A prospective database was used to identify those patients who were treated with either locoregional therapy (n = 128) or supportive care (n = 92). Survival analysis was performed for groups matched by CLIP score at presentation. Comparison of important prognostic factors was undertaken and univariate and multivariate analysis was performed to assess determinants of survival.

RESULTS

Use of locoregional therapies was only associated with a survival benefit in patients with a CLIP score of 1 or 2. In this group, the median survival in patients who received locoregional therapies was 25.0 months (95% confidence interval 22.7-27.4) compared with 8.9 months (95% confidence interval 7.3-10.5) for supportive care (P = 0.001). For patients with CLIP scores of 3 or greater, no survival benefit of locoregional therapies was observed. Multivariate analysis revealed locoregional intervention, CLIP score, tumor symptoms, alpha-fetoprotein level, bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase level as independent prognostic indicators.

CONCLUSION

Locoregional therapies should be targeted specifically to patients with non-advanced hepatocellular carcinoma as assessed by validated scoring systems. Use of these therapies in patients with advanced disease does not appear to be associated with a survival benefit and may expose patients to unnecessary harm.

Comparison of the 6th and 7th editions of the American Joint Committee on Cancer tumor-node-metastasis staging system in patients with resected esophageal carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The 7th edition American Joint Committee on Cancer tumor-nodes-metastasis (AJCC TNM) staging system was published recently. We aim to evaluate its predictive ability and to compare the performance of the 6th and 7th editions of the AJCC TNM staging systems in esophageal cancer.

METHODS

A total of 392 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients receiving primary surgical resection between 1995 and 2006 were included. Patients were staged using the 6th and 7th edition staging systems. Survival analysis was performed with a Cox regression model. The homogeneity, discriminatory ability, and monotonicity of gradients of two staging systems were compared using linear trend chi2, likelihood ratio chi2 statistics, and Akaike information criterion calculation.

RESULTS

The overall five-year survival rate for the entire cohort was 27.1%. Female gender, "T," "N," and "M" classifications according to the 7th edition staging system definition were independent prognostic factors in multivariate analysis. But histology grade and cancer location had no significant influence on patient survival. The 7th edition staging system has the highest linear trend chi2 and likelihood ratio chi2 scores. Compared with the 6th edition, the 7th edition staging system also has a smaller Akaike information criterion value, which represented the optimum prognostic stratification.

CONCLUSIONS

The strength of the 7th edition AJCC TNM staging system is the new descriptors for "N" and "M" classifications. However, we did not find histologic grade and cancer location to be significant prognostic factors in our cohort. Overall, the 7th edition AJCC TNM staging system has better performance than the previous edition.

Transarterial chemoembolization as initial treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma in southern China

AIM: To identify prognostic factors from pretreatment variables of the initial transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) procedure in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS: One thousand and five hundred and sixty-nine patients with unresectable HCC underwent TACE as initial treatment were retrospectively studied. Pretreatment variables of the initial TACE procedure with a P value less than 0.05 by univariate analysis were subjected to Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS: The median overall survival time and 1-, 5-, 10-year survival rates were 10.37 mo, 47%, 10%, and 7%, respectively. A Cox proportional hazard model showed that 8 pretreatment factors of regional lymph nodes metastasis, Child-Pugh class, macrovascular invasion, greatest dimension, α-fetoprotein (AFP), Hepatitis virus B, tumor capsule, and nodules were independent prognostic factors. Patients with multimodality therapy have better survival than those with TACE treatment only.

CONCLUSION: Tumor status, hepatic function reserve, AFP, and hepatitis virus B status were independent prognostic factors for unresectable HCC. Distant metastasis might not be a contraindication to TACE. Multimodality therapy might improve survival.

Management of hepatocellular carcinoma in Asia: consensus statement from the Asian Oncology Summit 2009

Asia has a disproportionately large share of the world's hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), mainly because of the endemic status of chronic hepatitis B and C viruses, which leads to liver cirrhosis and an increased risk of HCC. This etiological factor presents important opportunities for prevention, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of HCC. This consensus statement reviews the available medical evidence for management of HCC in Asia, and gives treatment recommendations that are adapted to resource availability in this diverse region with disparate health-care delivery systems.

A new staging system is more discriminant than conventional staging systems for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Prediction of the life expectancy of a patient with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains difficult. The aims of the study were to construct a new staging scheme for patients with unresectable HCC and to compare the discriminatory ability of the staging scheme with the Okuda and CLIP score and TNM staging system in a cohort of patients with unresectable HCC.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of unresectable HCC cases from 1999 to 2003 was performed. The Cox model was used for multivariate analyses. The final model was derived from 10 randomly chosen training samples and the prognostic validity of the new staging scheme was assessed on the corresponding testing samples. Moreover, 54 cases with unresectable HCC were enrolled and prospectively followed up. The new staging, named the China integrated score (CIS), Okuda, TNM and CLIP systems were determined for each case. Comparisons of the survival rate between each stage were performed to evaluate their discriminatory ability.

RESULTS

A simple scoring system was constructed, assigning linear scores (0/1/2) to the three covariates (TNM, alpha-fetoprotein and Child-Pugh) of the final model. The CIS system was more discriminant than the Okuda or TNM staging system, as confirmed by the Kaplan-Meier comparison of survival curves and by the Cox's regression analysis, with a median survival rate of 9.0, 2.3, 2.1 and 0.6 months in patients with CIS 2, 3, 4 and 5, respectively. The CIS system was performed as well as the CLIP score.

CONCLUSION

The new staging system, accounting for both liver function and tumor characteristics, can accurately identify patients with different prognoses, particularly in the advanced phases of HCC. It should be useful as the only tool that can be applied for patients with unresectable HCC.

TACE versus TAE as therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) improves survival in cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The optimal schedule, best anticancer agent and best technique are still unclear. TACE may not be better than transarterial embolization (TAE). HCC is very chemoresistant, thus embolization may be more important than chemotherapy. Lipiodol cannot be considered as an embolic agent and there are no data to show that it can release chemotherapeutic agents slowly. It can mask residual vascularity on CT imaging and its use is not recommended. Both TACE and TAE result in hypoxia, which stimulates angiogenesis, promoting tumor growth; thus combination of TACE with antiangiogenic agents may improve current results. To date, there is no evidence that TACE pre-liver transplantation or resection helps to expand current selection criteria for patients with HCC, nor results in less recurrence after surgery. Combination with other techniques, such as radiofrequency ablation and drugs, may enhance the effect of TACE. New trials are being conducted to clarify these issues.