Hepatocellular carcinoma: a comprehensive overview of surgical therapy

Characterization of cellular senescence patterns predicts the prognosis and therapeutic response of hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent malignancy with a high mortality rate. Cellular senescence, an irreversible state of cell cycle arrest, plays a paradoxical role in cancer progression. Here, we aimed to identify Hepatocellular carcinoma subtypes by cellular senescence-related genes (CSGs) and to construct a cellular senescence-related gene subtype predictor as well as a novel prognostic scoring system, which was expected to predict clinical outcomes and therapeutic response of Hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods: RNA-seq data and clinical information of Hepatocellular carcinoma patients were derived from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC). The "multi-split" selection was used to screen the robust prognostic cellular senescence-related genes. Unsupervised clustering was performed to identify CSGs-related subtypes and a discriminant model was obtained through multiple statistical approaches. A CSGs-based prognostic model-CSGscore, was constructed by LASSO-Cox regression and stepwise regression. Immunophenoscore (IPS) and Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) were utilized to evaluate the immunotherapy response. Tumor stemness indices mRNAsi and mDNAsi were used to analyze the relationship between CSGscore and stemness. Results: 238 robust prognostic differentially expressed cellular senescence-related genes (DECSGs) were used to categorize all 336 hepatocellular carcinoma patients of the TCGA-LIHC cohort into two groups with different survival. Two hub genes, TOP2A and KIF11 were confirmed as key indicators and were used to form a precise and concise cellular senescence-related gene subtype predictor. Five genes (PSRC1, SOCS2, TMEM45A, CCT5, and STC2) were selected from the TCGA training dataset to construct the prognostic CSGscore signature, which could precisely predict the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma patients both in the training and validation datasets. Multivariate analysis verified it as an independent prognostic factor. Besides, CSGscore was also a valuable predictor of therapeutic responses in hepatocellular carcinoma. More downstream analysis revealed the signature genes were significantly associated with stemness and tumor progression. Conclusion: Two subtypes with divergent outcomes were identified by prognostic cellular senescence-related genes and based on that, a subtype indicator was established. Moreover, a prognostic CSGscore system was constructed to predict the survival outcomes and sensitivity of therapeutic responses in hepatocellular carcinoma, providing novel insight into hepatocellular carcinoma biomarkers investigation and design of tailored treatments depending on the molecular characteristics of individual patients.

Comparative study of indocyanine green (ICG)-R15 and Albumin-Indocyanine Green Evaluation (ALICE) grading system in the prediction of posthepatectomy liver failure and postoperative mortality in patients with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis

BACKGROUND

A precise evaluation of liver reserve function in patients with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (HAE) prior to hepatectomy could substantially increase the success rate of the operation and reduce the incidence of postoperative complications. The present study aimed to investigate the significance of the indocyanine green retention test at 15 min (ICG-R15) and the Albumin-Indocyanine Green Evaluation (ALICE) grading system in predicting severe posthepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) and postoperative mortality in HAE patients undergoing liver resection.

METHODS

A total of 105 HAE patients undergoing hepatectomy were enrolled in this study. The value of each variable in predicting severe PHLF was evaluated by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUC) were calculated to evaluate the predictive ability of the Child-Pugh grade, ICG-R15, and ALICE grading system. Also, patients were classified using the optimal cutoff value for ICG-R15 and different ALICE grades, and the incidence of severe PHLF and postoperative mortality were compared with the predicted values.

RESULTS

Out of the 105 HAE patients enrolled in this study, 34 patients (32.4%) developed severe PHLF. The ALICE grade and operative time were identified as independent predictors of severe PHLF. According to ROC analysis, the AUCs of the Child-Pugh grade, ICG-R15, and ALICE grade for predicting severe PHLF were 0.733 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.637-0.814), 0.823 (95% CI, 0.737-0.891), 0.834 (95% CI, 0.749-0.900). The incidence of severe PHLF and postoperative 90-day mortality in patients with ICG-R15 > 7.2% were significantly higher than those with ICG-R15 ≤ 7.2% (P < 0.001; P = 0.008). Likewise, the incidence of severe PHLF and postoperative 90-day mortality in patients with ALICE grade 2 were higher than those with ALICE grade 1 within the Child-Pugh grade A (P < 0.001; P = 0.083).

CONCLUSION

ICG-R15 and ALICE grading system are powerful predictors of severe PHLF and postoperative mortality among HAE patients undergoing hepatectomy. Furthermore, a combination of the preoperative Child-Pugh grade and ALICE grading system may provide an even more precise and objective guidance and facilitate surgical decision-making for HAE patients.

Verbascoside enhances radiosensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma cells through regulating miR-101-3p/Wee1 axis

Verbascoside is a kind of phenylpropanoid glycoside derived from multiple medicinal plants, exerting anti-tumor effects in diverse human malignancies. However, the function of Verbascoside on the radiosensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells remains unknown. Human Huh7 and HepG2 cell lines were treated with Verbascosideis, and cell viability was detected with cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was applied to detect miR-101-3p expression, and Western blot was used to quantify the expression of WEE1 G2 checkpoint kinase (WEE1). Then, CCK-8 and flow cytometry assays were used to detect the proliferation and apoptosis of HCC cells after Verbascoside and X-ray combined treatment, and the expressions of WEE1 and apoptosis-related proteins Bax and Bcl-2 were detected by Western blot. Verbascoside could improve the radiosensitivity of HCC cells in a dose-dependent manner. Verbascoside increased the expression of miR-101-3p but reduced WEE1 expression in HCC cells. Additionally, WEE1 was identified as a target of miR-101-3p. MiR-101-3p inhibition or WEE1 overexpression could reverse the effect of Verbascoside on the viability and apoptosis of HCC cells. Verbascoside increases the radiosensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via modulating miR-101-3p/WEE1 axis.

A Nomogram Based on Preoperative Inflammatory Indices and ICG-R15 for Prediction of Liver Failure After Hepatectomy in HCC Patients

Objective

To establish a nomogram based on inflammatory indices and ICG-R15 for predicting post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) among patients with resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

A retrospective cohort of 407 patients with HCC hospitalized at Xiangya Hospital of Central South University between January 2015 and December 2020, and 81 patients with HCC hospitalized at the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University between January 2019 and January 2020 were included in the study. Totally 488 HCC patients were divided into the training cohort (n=378) and the validation cohort (n=110) by random sampling. Univariate and multivariate analysis was performed to identify the independent risk factors. Through combining these independent risk factors, a nomogram was established for the prediction of PHLF. The accuracy of the nomogram was evaluated and compared with traditional models, like CP score (Child-Pugh), MELD score (Model of End-Stage Liver Disease), and ALBI score (albumin-bilirubin) by using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA).

Results

Cirrhosis (OR=2.203, 95%CI:1.070-3.824, P=0.030), prothrombin time (PT) (OR=1.886, 95%CI: 1.107-3.211, P=0.020), tumor size (OR=1.107, 95%CI: 1.022-1.200, P=0.013), ICG-R15% (OR=1.141, 95%CI: 1.070-1.216, P<0.001), blood loss (OR=2.415, 95%CI: 1.306-4.468, P=0.005) and AST-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) (OR=4.652, 95%CI: 1.432-15.112, P=0.011) were independent risk factors of PHLF. Nomogram was built with well-fitted calibration curves on the of these 6 factors. Comparing with CP score (C-index=0.582, 95%CI, 0.523-0.640), ALBI score (C-index=0.670, 95%CI, 0.615-0.725) and MELD score (C-ibasedndex=0.661, 95%CI, 0.606-0.716), the nomogram showed a better predictive value, with a C-index of 0.845 (95%CI, 0.806-0.884). The results were consistent in the validation cohort. DCA confirmed the conclusion as well.

Conclusion

A novel nomogram was established to predict PHLF in HCC patients. The nomogram showed a strong predictive efficiency and would be a convenient tool for us to facilitate clinical decisions.

Liver Transplantation Versus Liver Resection for Stage I and II Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Results of an Instrumental Variable Analysis

Background

This study aimed to compare the long-term outcomes of liver transplantation (LT) and liver resection (LR) among patients with stage I and II hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

SEER 18 registry from 2004 to 2015 was retrieved for this study. We included 1,765 and 1,746 cases with stage I–II (AJCC, 7^th) HCC in the multivariable analyses and instrumental variable (IV) analyses, respectively. Propensity score matching (PSM) was further carried out to ensure comparability. Propensity score to receive LT was adjusted by stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) and standardized mortality ratio weighting (SMRW) methods. In addition, IV analysis was performed to adjust both measured and unmeasured confounding factors.

Results

We identified 1,000 (56.7%) and 765 (43.3%) patients treated with LR and LT, respectively. In the multivariable adjusted cohort, after adjusting potential confounders, patients undergoing LT offered significant prognostic advantages over LR in overall survival (OS, P < 0.001) and disease-free survival (DSS, P < 0.001). The instrument variable in this study is LT rates in various Health Service Areas (HSAs). Results from the IV analysis showed that cases treated with LT had significantly longer OS (P = 0.001) and DSS (P < 0.001). In IV analysis stratified by clinicopathologic variables, the treatment effect of LT vs. LR in OS was consistent across all subgroups. Regarding DSS in IV analyses, the subgroup analyses observed that LT had better DSS across all subgroups, except for similar results in the older patients (interaction P value = 0.039) and the non-White patients (interaction P value = 0.041). In the propensity-matched cohort, patients with LT still had better OS (P < 0.001) and DSS (P < 0.001) in comparison to cases who underwent LR. In both IPTW and SMRW cohorts, patients who underwent LT had better OS (both P values < 0.001) and DSS (both P values < 0.001).

Conclusions

LT provided a survival benefit for cases with stage I–II HCC. These results indicated that if LT rate was to increase in the future, average long-term survival may also increase. However, for some special populations such as the elderly patients, owing to the similar outcomes between LT and LR, the selection of LT should be cautious.

Updates on the Diagnosis and Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Introduction

Globally, the incidence, as well as mortality, related to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is on the rise, owing to relatively few curative options. Underlying cirrhosis is the most common etiology leading to HCC, but risk factors of cirrhosis show great regional variability. Over the years, there has been a steady development in the diagnostic and therapeutic modalities of HCC, including the availability of a wide range of systemic chemotherapeutic agents. We aim to review the recent advancements in the diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for HCC.

Methodology

The literature search was done using databases PubMed, Cochrane, and Science Direct, and the latest relevant articles were reviewed.

Findings

Screening of HCC is a pivotal step in the early diagnosis of the disease. Current guidelines recommend using ultrasound and alfa fetoprotein but various new biomarkers are under active research that might aid in diagnosing very small tumors, not picked up by the current screening methods. Treatment options are decided based upon the overall performance of the patient and the extent of the disease, as per the Barcelona classification. There are very few options that offer a cure for the disease, ranging from liver resection and transplantation to tumor ablation. Downstaging has proven to have a significant role in the course of the disease. An attempt to control the disease can be made via radiological interventions, such as transarterial chemoembolization, transarterial radioembolization, or radiation therapy. For advanced disease, sorafenib used to be the only option until a couple of years ago. Recently, many other systemic agents have received approval as first-line and second-line therapies for HCC. Genomics is an area of active clinical research as understanding the mutations and genomics involved in the evolution of HCC might lead to a breakthrough therapy.

How to cite this article

Raees A, Kamran M, Özkan H, et al. Updates on the Diagnosis and Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Euroasian J Hepato-Gastroenterol 2021;11(1):32–40.

Management and survival for patients with stage-I hepatocellular carcinoma: An observational study based on SEER database

It is controversial regarding the treatment allocation for patients with stage I hepatocellular carcinoma (SI-HCC). The aim of the present study was to compare the long-term survival in SI-HCC patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT), liver resection (LR), local tumor destruction (LTD), or none. SI-HCC patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2015 were extracted from the SEER 18 registry database. Multivariable Cox models and propensity score matching (PSM) method were used to explore the association between surgical methods and long-term prognosis. A total of 5165 patients with stage I (AJCC, 6th or 7th) HCC were included in the study. Only 36.9% of patients diagnosed with HCC in stage I received surgical therapy. The incidence of LT was decreased over time (P < .001). In the multivariable-adjusted cohort (n = 5165), after adjusting potential confounding factors, a clear prognostic advantage of LT was observed in OS (P < .0001) compared with patients after LR. Patients undergoing LTD had a worse OS in comparison with patients who underwent LR (P < .0001). Patients who received no surgical treatment had the worst OS (P < .0001) among 4 treatment groups. In stratified analyses, the salutary effects of LT vs LR on OS were consistent across all subgroups except for a similar result in the noncirrhotic subgroup (P = .4414). The inferior survival effects of LTD vs LR on OS were consistent across all subgroups, and even in the subgroup with tumor size < 3 cm (P = .0342). In the PSM cohort, patients in LT group showed a better OS (P < .001) than patients in LR group (P < .0001) and patients undergoing LTD had a worse OS compared with patients who underwent LR (P = .00059). In conclusion, LT offered a survival advantage compared with LR among patients with Stage I HCC. LT is the best surgical treatment for stage I HCC in patients with advanced fibrosis, whereas LR provides comparable long-term outcomes to LT in patients without advanced fibrosis and should be considered as the first-line surgical option. LTD can be used as an alternative method when LR and LT are unavailable.

The Role of Smoothened in Cancer

Smoothened (SMO) belongs to the Hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway, which regulates cell growth, migration, invasion and stem cells in cancer. The HH signaling pathway includes both canonical and noncanonical pathways. The canonical HH pathway functions through major HH molecules such as HH ligands, PTCH, SMO and GLI, whereas the noncanonical HH pathway involves the activation of SMO or GLI through other pathways. The role of SMO has been discussed in different types of cancer, including breast, liver, pancreatic and colon cancers. SMO expression correlates with tumor size, invasiveness, metastasis and recurrence. In addition, SMO inhibitors can suppress cancer formation, reduce the proliferation of cancer cells, trigger apoptosis and suppress cancer stem cell activity. A better understanding of the role of SMO in cancer could contribute to the development of novel therapeutic approaches.

The efficacy of surgery in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a cohort study

Background

It is still controversial whether hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with lymph node invasion should receive surgery treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of surgery (liver resection and local tumor destruction treatments) in HCC patients with regional lymph node metastasis.

Methods

The study utilized data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-18 (SEER-18) cancer registry. Patients for whom the treatment type was not clear or those with distant metastasis or without regional lymph nodule invasion were excluded. For survival analysis, patients with the survival months coded as 0 and 999 were excluded. All 1434 patients were included in the analysis. Among them, 168 patients were treated surgically and the other 1266 received non-surgery therapy. Propensity score matching (PSM) model was used to reduce selection bias.

Results

Before PSM, the median overall survival (mOS) and median cancer-specific survival (mCSS) of patients treated surgically were longer than that of receiving non-surgery treatment (mOS 20 months, 95% CI 15.3–24.7 vs. 7 months, 95% CI 6.4–7.6, P < 0.001; mCSS 21 months, 95% CI 115.5–26.5 vs. 6 months, 95% CI 5.3–6.7, P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis found no significant differences in mOS and mCSS between liver resection and non-liver resection surgery cohorts (P = 0.886 and P = 0.813, respectively). Similar results were obtained in the PSM analysis. The mOS and mCSS in the surgery group were longer than those in the non-surgery group (mOS 20 months vs. 7 months, P < 0.001; mCSS 20 months vs. 6 months, P < 0.001). The multivariate analysis documented that surgery was an independent predictor for OS and CSS before and after PSM.

Conclusions

HCC patients with invasion of regional lymph nodules may get more survival benefit from surgery than other types of treatment.

End-stage liver disease score and future liver remnant volume predict post-hepatectomy liver failure in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the world’s sixth most common malignant tumor and the third cause of cancer death. Although great progress has been made in hepatectomy, it is still associated with a certain degree of risk of post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF), which extends the length of hospital stay and remains the leading cause of postoperative death. Studies have shown that assessment of hepatic functional reserve before hepatectomy is beneficial for reducing the incidence of PHLF.

AIM

To assess the value of model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score combined with standardized future liver remnant (sFLR) volume in predicting PHLF in patients undergoing hepatectomy for HCC.

METHODS

This study was attended by 238 patients with HCC who underwent hepatectomy between January 2015 and January 2018. Discrimination of sFLR volume, MELD score, and sFLR/MELD ratio to predict PHLF was evaluated according to the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve.

RESULTS

The patients were divided into two groups according to whether PHLF occurred after hepatectomy. The incidence of PHLF was 8.4% in our research. The incidence of PHLF increased with the decrease in sFLR volume and the increase in MELD score. Both sFLR volume and MELD score were considered independent predictive factors for PHLF. Moreover, the cut-off value of the sFLR/MELD score to predict PHLF was 0.078 (P < 0.001). This suggests that an sFLR/MELD ≥ 0.078 indicates a higher incidence of PHLF than an sFLR/MELD < 0.078.

CONCLUSION

MELD combined with sFLR is a reliable and effective PHLF predictor, which is superior to MELD score or sFLR volume alone.

Historical perspective: Two decades of progress in treating metastatic colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States. While screening methods strive to improve rates of early stage detection, 25% of patients have metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis, with the most common sites being the liver, lung, and peritoneum. While once perceived as hopeless, the last two decades have seen substantial strides in the medical, surgical, and regional therapies to treat metastatic disease offering significant improvements in survival.

Goals and targets for personalized therapy for HCC

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide and its incidence continues to rise. While cirrhosis underlies most cases of HCC, many molecular pathways are implicated in HCC carcinogenesis, including the TERT promoter mutation, Wnt/β-catenin, P53, Akt/mTOR, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR), and endothelial growth factor receptor (EGFR)/RAS/MAPK pathways. While the most widely used staging and treatment algorithm for HCC-the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) system-does not recommend systemic molecular therapy for early HCC, a variety of treatment options are available depending upon the stage of HCC at diagnosis. Determining the best treatment options must take into account not only the burden and extent of HCC, but also the patient's performance status, underlying liver function, extra-hepatic disease and co-morbidities. Radiofrequency or microwave ablation, liver resection, or liver transplantation, all potential curative therapies for HCC, should be the first-line treatments when possible. For patients who are not candidates of curative treatments, locoregional therapies such as transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), transarterial radioembolization (TARE), and stereotactic body radiation (SBRT) can improve survival and quality of life. Sorafenib, a multi-kinase VEGF inhibitor, is the most widely used systemic chemotherapy approved as a first-line agent for unresectable or advanced HCC. Clinical trials are underway directed towards molecular therapies that target different aspects of the hepatocellular carcinogenesis cascade. Ideally, the goal of future therapy should be to target multiple pathways in the HCC cascade with combination treatments to achieve personalized care aimed at improving overall survival.

Tailored treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein invasion: experience from a multidisciplinary hepatobiliary tumor program within a NCI comprehensive cancer center

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein invasion (PVI) has a poor prognosis with limited treatment options. Intra-arterial brachytherapy (IAB) and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) yield local control but risk accelerating liver dysfunction. The outcomes, survival, and safety of selective liver-directed treatment are reported.

Methods

Thirty-seven consecutive patients with HCC and PVI treated between 2009 and 2015 were reviewed from a prospectively collected database. Univariate analysis, Kaplan-Meier plots using the log-rank method, and multivariate analyses were performed. Statistical significance was defined as P<0.05. Overall survival was reported in months (median; 95% CI).

Results

Most patients (59%) had PVI identified at initial HCC diagnosis. The liver-directed therapy group (n=22) demonstrated a survival advantage versus the systemic/supportive care group (n=14) [23.6 (5.8, 30.9) vs. 6.0 (3.5, 8.8) months]. Patients indicated for liver directed therapy had unilateral liver involvement (100% vs. 43%, P<0.0001), lower median alkaline phosphatase (105.5 vs. 208.0, P=0.002), and lower mean Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score (5.9 vs. 7.2, P=0.04) and tolerated treatment without serious complications.

Conclusions

In HCC patients presenting with PVI, liver-directed therapy was safely performed in patients with limited venous involvement and preserved liver function. Liver-directed therapy extended survival for these patients indicated for palliative chemotherapy by traditional guidelines.

In situ splitting after selective partial portal vein ligation or simultaneous hepatic artery ligation promotes liver regeneration

This study seeks to compare the impact of selective partial portal vein ligation (PPVL) or the combination of simultaneous hepatic artery ligation (PPVAL) with in situ splitting (ISS) on liver regeneration and injury. Rats were randomized into three groups; namely: selective PVL, PPVL + ISS and PPVAL + ISS. The changes in hepatic hemodynamics, liver regeneration and hepatocytic injury were examined. Blood flow to the left portal branch and the microcirculation of the left median lobe after PPVL or PPVAL was significantly reduced. Liver regeneration of PPVAL + ISS group was more pronounced than that in the PPVL + ISS and PVL groups at 48 and 72 hours as well as 7 d postoperatively. The serum biochemical markers and histopathological examination demonstrated reduced levels of liver injury in the PPVL + ISS group. Injury to hepatocytes was more pronounced with PPVAL + ISS than PVL. HGF, TNF-α and IL-6 expression in the regenerated lobes in both PPVAL + ISS and PPVL + ISS groups increased significantly when compared to the PVL group. We demonstrated that both PPVL + ISS and PPVAL + ISS were effective and feasible means of inducing remnant liver hypertrophy and could serve as a rapid clinical application for qualified patients.

A Comparative Study of Albumin-Bilirubin Score with Child-Pugh Score, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease Score and Indocyanine Green R15 in Predicting Posthepatectomy Liver Failure for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients

BACKGROUND

The albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade is a newly proposed model for assessing the hepatic function. This study aimed to compare the value of the ALBI score with Child-Pugh score, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score and indocyanine green (ICG) R15 in predicting posthepatectomy liver failure (PHLF).

METHODS

Patients undergoing curative resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) between January 2014 and June 2017 were enrolled. The values of the Child-Pugh score, MELD score, ICG R15 and ALBI score in predicting PHLF were evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 473 HCC patients were enrolled. The ALBI score was identified as an independent predictor of PHLF. The AUCs for the Child-Pugh score, MELD score, ICG R15 and ALBI score in predicting PHLF were 0.665, 0.649, 0.668, and 0.745 respectively. Multivariable analyses revealed that the ALBI score was an independent predictor of PHLF regardless of the hepatectomy subgroups, but the Child-Pugh score and MELD score were not significant predictors of PHLF both in major and minor hepatectomy subgroups, and ICG R15 was only a significant predictor of PHLF in minor hepatectomy subgroup.

CONCLUSION

The ALBI score showed superior predictive value of PHLF over Child-Pugh score, MELD score and ICG R15. We propose to use the ALBI score to evaluate surgical risk for HCC patients undergoing hepatic resection.

Microwave-assisted liver resection vs. clamp crushing liver resection in cirrhosis patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

PURPOSE

This study aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of microwave-ablation-assisted liver resection (MW-LR) and clamp crushing liver resection (CC-LR) in cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From July 2005 to January 2015, cirrhotic HCC patients who underwent CC-LR (n = 191) or MW-LR (n = 112) were retrospectively analysed. We compared morbidity, mortality, disease-free survival (DFS) time and overall survival time between the CC-LR and MW-LR groups.

RESULTS

The blood loss volume was significantly higher in the CC-LR group (mean of 752 ml) than that in the MW-LR group (mean of 253 ml, p < 0.001). The abdominal abscess rate was higher in the MW-LR group (8.9%) than that in the CC-LR group (3.1%, p = 0.029). The 30-day mortality rate (1.5% vs. 0.8%) and postoperative complication rate (32.9% vs. 25.0%) were both similar between the CC-LR and MW-LR groups. MW-LR provided a survival benefit over CC-LR at 1, 3 and 5 years in the entire population (93.5% vs. 87.0%, 77.0% vs. 62.5% and 50.0% vs. 36.5%, respectively; p = 0.003). In a subgroup analysis, MW-LR provided a survival benefit over CC-LR for Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage A (BCLC-A) HCC (p = 0.026) and stage B (BCLC-B) HCC (p = 0.035) patients and provided DFS benefits for BCLC-A HCC patients (p = 0.036).

CONCLUSIONS

MW-LR is a safe and feasible procedure for HCC patients with a cirrhotic liver history.

RACK1 Silencing Induces Cell Apoptosis and Inhibits Cell Proliferation in Hepatocellular Carcinoma MHCC97-H Cells

This study aimed to explore the effects of RACK1 gene silencing on the apoptosis and proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) MHCC97-H cells. After transfecting MHCC97-H cells with siRNA, RACK1 gene silencing model was established. The cells were divided into blank group, siRNA group and empty plasmid group, respectively. The mRNA and protein expressions of RACK1, cyclin D1 and BAX were determined by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry and FITC-Annexin V/PI staining were used to determine cell viability, cell cycle and cell apoptosis, respectively. The results of qRT-PCR and Western blotting suggested that when compared with the blank group and the empty plasmid group, the mRNA and protein expressions of RACK1 and Cyclin D1 decreased significantly while the mRNA and protein BAX expressions increased substantially in the siRNA group (all P < 0.05). The results of CCK-8 assay revealed that the siRNA group exhibited significantly lower cell viability when compared with the blank group and the empty plasmid group (both P < 0.05); and the cell viability in the siRNA group decreased gradually with the increase of time. The results of flow cytometry and FITC-Annexin V/PI staining indicated that when compared with the blank group and the empty plasmid group, the proportion of cells in S phase was markedly lower and the apoptosis rate was significantly higher in the siRNA group (both P < 0.05). Our study suggests that inhibition of RACK1 could suppress cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in HCC MHCC97-H cells.

Value of HCC-MELD Score in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma Undergoing Liver Transplantation

CONTEXT

Liver transplantation (LT) is considered the ideal therapy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) having cirrhosis but the shortage of liver donors and the risk of dropout from the wait list due to tumor progression severely limit transplantation. A new prognostic score, the HCC-model for end-stage liver disease (HCC-MELD), was developed by combining α-fetoprotein (AFP), MELD, and tumor size, to improve risk stratification of dropout in patients with HCC.

OBJECTIVES

In this study, we investigated the ability of the HCC-MELD score in predicting the posttransplant for patients fulfilling Milan criteria (MC).

DESIGN

Two hundred patients with stage II tumor were retrospectively reviewed from a total of 1290 transplants performed at our institution from October 1997 through April 2015. Cox regression analysis was performed to identify the prognostic factors impacting the posttransplant survival.

RESULTS

Overall survival at 1, 5, and 10 years was 89.3%, 71.1%, and 67.2%, whereas disease-free survival was 86.4%, 66.5%, and 52.4%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed HCC-MELD score (hazard ratio [HR] 39.6, P < .001) and microvascular invasion (HR 2.41, P = .002) to be independent risk factors for recurrence, whereas HCC diameter (HR 1.15, P = .041), HCC-MELD (HR 15.611, P = .006), and grading (HR 2.17, P = .03) proved to be predictive factors of poor overall survival.

CONCLUSION

Our study showed the validity of the HCC-MELD equation in the evaluation of patients undergoing LT for HCC. This score offers a reliable method to assess the risk of waiting list dropout and predict posttransplantation outcomes.

Combining 18F-FDG positron emission tomography with Up-to-seven criteria for selecting suitable liver transplant patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

The Up-to-seven (UTS) criteria (sum of tumor size and number not exceeding 7) for indicating liver transplantation (LT) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were originally based on explant pathology features and absence of microvascular invasion (MVI). ¹⁸F-fludeoxyglucose (¹⁸F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) was shown to indicate the risk of MVI and tumor recurrence. The aim of this study was to analyze the prognostic significance of the clinical UTS criteria when being combined with PET-status of the tumor. Data of 116 liver transplant patients were subject to retrospective analysis. Five-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates in patients meeting (n = 85) and exceeding (n = 21) the radiographic UTS criteria were 81% and 55.1%, respectively (p = 0.014). In the UTS In subset, RFS was significantly better in PET-negative (94.9%) than in PET-positive patients (48.3%; p < 0.001). In the UTS Out subset, 5-year RFS rates were 87.1% and 19% in patients with non- ¹⁸F-FDG-avid and ¹⁸F-FDG-avid tumors (p < 0.001), respectively. Positive PET-status was identified as the only independent clinical predictor of tumor recurrence in beyond UTS patients (Hazard ratio [HR] 19.25; p < 0.001). Combining radiographic UTS criteria with FDG-PET may safely expand the HCC selection criteria for LT.

18F-FDG-PET for Assessing Biological Viability and Prognosis in Liver Transplant Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Liver transplantation (LT) has become standard of care in patients with non-resectable early stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in liver cirrhosis. Currently, patient selection for LT is strictly based on tumor size and number, provided by the Milan criteria. This may, however, exclude patients with advanced tumor load but favourable biology from a possibly curative treatment option. It became clear in recent years that biological tumor viability rather than tumor macromorphology determines posttransplant outcome. In particular, microvascular invasion and poor grading reflect tumor aggressiveness and promote the risk of tumor relapse. Pretransplant biopsy is not applicable due to tumor heterogeneity and risk of tumor cell seeding. ¹⁸F-fludeoxyglucose (¹⁸F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET), an established nuclear imaging device in oncology, was demonstrated to non-invasively correlate with unfavorable histopathologic features. Currently, there is an increasing amount of evidence that ¹⁸F-FDG-PET is very useful for identifying eligible liver transplant patients with HCC beyond standard criteria but less aggressive tumor properties. In order to safely expand the HCC selection criteria and the pool of eligible liver recipients, tumor evaluation with ¹⁸F-FDG-PET should be implemented in pretransplant decision process.

Use of the liver maximum function capacity test (LiMAx) for the management of liver resection in cirrhosis - A case of hypopharyngeal cancer liver metastasis

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A patient with a liver metastasis of pharyngeal cancer and aspect of severe cirrhosis is presented.

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Conventional laboratory tests are surrogate parameters and might underestimate cirrhosis.

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The LiMAx test provides a direct measurement of the liver function capacity even in cirrhosis.

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Safe resection was performed after LiMAx test proved operability.

Introduction

The presence of liver cirrhosis goes along with a higher chance for the need of liver resection. As established laboratory parameters often underestimate the degree of cirrhosis this is associated with an increased risk for postoperative liver failure due to the preoperatively impaired liver function. Known liver function tests are unlikely to be performed in daily use because of high cost or expenditure of time. Liver maximum function capacity test (LiMAx) provides a novel tool for measurement of liver function and references for the safety of liver resection.

Presentation of case

A 63-year old patient presented at our hospital with a large, solitary liver metastasis from hypopharyngeal cancer in segments VII/VIII with infiltration of the diaphragm. Liver resection was unsuccessful in a peripheral hospital 10 months before due to considerable macroscopic liver cirrhosis (CHILD B). Upon presentation conventional laboratory parameters revealed sufficient liver function. LiMAx was performed and showed regular liver function (354 μg/kg/h; at norm >315 μg/kg/h). Consequently, atypical liver resection (R0) was performed resulting in a postoperative LiMAx value of 281 μg/h/kg (>150 μg/kg/h). The patient was discharged from hospital 37 days after surgery without any signs of postoperative liver failure.

Conclusion

The LiMAx-test enables determination of liver function at a so far unavailable level (metabolism via cytochrome P450 1A2) and hence might provide crucial additional diagnostic information to allow for safe liver resection even in cirrhotic patients.

Integration of Child-Pugh score with future liver remnant yields improved prediction of liver dysfunction risk for HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma following hepatic resection

Assessment of hepatic functional reserve is important to enable the selection of appropriate treatment methods and safe hepatic resection in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the present study, an evaluation was made of the clinical value of combining the Child-Pugh score (CPS) with the standardized future liver remnant (sFLR) measurement to predict postoperative liver dysfunction (PLD). A total of 61 HBV-related HCC patients undergoing liver volumetry prior to hepatectomy were enrolled in the study. The sFLR was calculated as the ratio of FLR volume to standardized liver volume. PLD was defined as a prothrombin time of >18 sec or a peak serum bilirubin level of >51.3 µmol/l for 7 days after surgery. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to identify risk factors associated with PLD. The correlation between PLD and the combination of sFLR and CPS was analyzed. In total, 18 out of 61 patients developed PLD (29.5%), with a significantly higher PLD incidence for a CPS of 6 than a CPS of 5 (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that a prothrombin time of <13.3 sec and an sFLR of <0.55 were independent risk factors for PLD. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that the cut-off values of sFLR and sFLR/CPS for predicting PLD were 54.5% and 0.0916, respectively, with areas under the ROC curve of 0.820 and 0.860, respectively. The combination of CPS and sFLR appears to yield improved prediction of the occurrence of PLD compared with either CPS or sFLR alone.

MR visible localization device for radiographic-pathologic correlation of surgical specimens

PURPOSE

The detection of small parenchymal hepatic lesions identified by preoperative imaging remains a challenge for traditional pathologic methods in large specimens. We developed a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compatible localization device for imaging of surgical specimens aimed to improve identification and localization of hepatic lesions ex vivo.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The device consists of two stationary and one removable MR-visible grids lined with silicone gel, creating an orthogonal 3D matrix for lesion localization. To test the device, five specimens of swine liver with a random number of lesions created by microwave ablation were imaged on a 3T MR scanner. Two readers independently evaluated lesion coordinates and size, which were then correlated with sectioning guided by MR imaging.

RESULTS

All lesions (n=38) were detected at/very close to the expected localization. Inter-reader agreement of lesion localization was almost perfect (0.92). The lesion size estimated by MRI matched macroscopic lesion size in cut specimen (±2mm) in 34 and 35, respectively, out of 38 lesions.

CONCLUSION

Use of this MR compatible device for ex vivo imaging proved feasible for detection and three-dimensional localization of liver lesions, and has potential to play an important role in the ex vivo examination of surgical specimens in which pathologic correlation is clinically important.

RASSF10 is an epigenetically inactivated tumor suppressor and independent prognostic factor in hepatocellular carcinoma

Methylation of the Ras-association domain family 10 (RASSF10) promoter region correlates with clinicopathological characteristics and poor prognosis in several human cancers. Here, we examined RASSF10 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its role in hepatocarcinogenesis. RASSF10 mRNA and protein levels were downregulated in both HCC cell lines and patient tissue samples. In patient tissues, low RASSF10 levels correlated with hepatocirrhosis, poor tumor differentiation, tumor thrombus and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage, and were indicative of increased tumor recurrence and reduced patient survival. Low RASSF10 expression was associated with promoter hypermethylation, which was in turn associated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and aflatoxin B1 exposure, but not DNA methyltransferase expression. Overexpression of RASSF10 in HCC cell lines suppressed cell growth and colony formation, and induced apoptosis by up- or down-regulating specific Bcl-2 family proteins. RASSF10 overexpression increased pro-apoptotic Bax and Bad levels, but decreased anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl expression. Overexpression also inhibited tumor formation in nude mice and reduced cell migration and invasion by inhibiting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. RASSF10 knockdown promoted cell growth. Our results show that RASSF10 is frequently hypermethylated and down-regulated in HCC and can potentially serve as a useful biomarker predictive of HCC patient prognosis.

Malignant tumors of the liver in children

This article aims to give an overview of pediatric liver tumors; in particular of the two most frequently occurring groups of hepatoblastomas and hepatocellular carcinomas. Focus lays on achievements gained through worldwide collaboration. We present recent advances in insight, treatment results, and future questions to be asked. Increasing international collaboration between the four major Pediatric Liver Tumor Study Groups (SIOPEL/GPOH, COG, and JPLT) may serve as a paradigm to approach rare tumors. This international effort has been catalyzed by the Children's Hepatic tumor International Collaboration (CHIC) formation of a large collaborative database. Interrogation of this database has led to a new universal risk stratification system for hepatoblastoma using PRETEXT/POSTTEXT staging as a backbone. Pathologists in this international collaboration have established a new histopathological consensus classification for pediatric liver tumors. Concomitantly there have been advances in chemotherapy options, an increased role of liver transplantation for unresectable tumors, and a web portal system developed at www.siopel.org for international education, consultation, and collaboration. These achievements will be further tested and validated in the upcoming Paediatric Hepatic International Tumour Trial (PHITT).

Cortactin and Exo70 mediated invasion of hepatoma carcinoma cells by MMP-9 secretion

This study was aimed to evaluate the regulation mechanism of cortactin (CTTN) on matrix metalloproteinases 9 (MMP-9) and its relations with Exo70 in invasion of hepatoma carcinoma (HCC) cells. The expression levels of CTTN, Exo70 and MMP-9 were detected in normal hepatocytes and various HCC cells by real-time PCR. Then the migration and invasion ability of these cells was revealed by scratch and invasion assay. The effects of CTTN on MMP-9 and the ability of migration and invasion were evaluated by silence and overexpress CTTN. During this process, the expression of CTTN was detected by Western blot, the activity and concentration of MMP-9 in supernatant of culture medium was detected by zymography and ELISA assay. Besides, Exo70 was also inhibited to reveal its effects on MMP-9 and the migration and invasion ability of LM3. Increased expression of CTTN, MMP-9, Exo70, reduced scratch area and increased puncture cell numbers were found in HCC cells (p < 0.05). The expression of CTTN was significantly correlated with Exo70 and the migration and invasion ability of HCC (p < 0.05). In addition, the activity and concentration of MMP-9 were significantly affected by the expression level of CTTN, while the expression of MMP-9 was not influenced. Besides, Exo70-si also exhibited significantly inhibition effects on the activity and concentration of MMP-9 and puncture cell numbers (p < 0.05). A synergistic reaction may exhibited on CTTN and Exo70, which could mediate the secretion of MMPs thereby regulate tumor invasion.

Liver epithelial cells inhibit proliferation and invasiveness of hepatoma cells

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a worldwide malignancy with poor prognosis. Liver progenitors or stem cells could be a potential therapy for HCC treatment since they migrate toward tumors. Rat liver epithelial (RLE) cells have both progenitor and stem cell-like properties. Therefore, our study elucidated the therapeutic effect of RLE cells in rat hepatoma cells. RLE cells were isolated from 10-day old rats and characterized for stem cell marker expression. RLE cells and rat hepatoma cells (H4-IIE-C3 cells) were co-cultured and divided into four groups with different ratios of RLE and hepatoma cells. Group A had only rat hepatoma cells as a control group. The ratios of rat hepatoma and RLE cells in group B, C and D were 5:1, 1:1 and 1:5, respectively. Effective inhibition of cell proliferation and migration was found in group D when compared to group A. There was a significant decrease in Bcl2 expression and increase in late apoptosis of rat hepatoma cells when adding more RLE cells. RLE cells reduced cell proliferation and migration of rat hepatoma cells. These results suggested that RLE cells could be used as a potential cell therapy.

Outcomes of Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma After Liver Transplant

OBJECTIVES

Liver transplant is one of the few effective treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma. Our aim in this study was to evaluate the risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after liver transplant.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this retrospective study, conducted between October 1988 and March 2015, four hundred seventy-three liver transplants were performed at our institution. Of these, 231 were pediatric and 242 were adult. Among these patients, liver transplant was performed in 58 patients (12.3%) for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

RESULTS

Hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence was detected in 14 patients (24.1%). Overall 5-year and 10-year survival rates of patients underwent liver transplant beyond the Milan criteria for hepatocellular carcinoma were 50.3% and 43.1%. Overall, 5- and 10-year survival rates of patients underwent liver transplant within the Milan criteria for hepatocellular carcinoma were 78.4% and 72.6%. The main predictive variable was whether the tumor had expensed beyond the Milan criteria.

CONCLUSIONS

As expected, outcomes were significantly better in the Milan criteria group. Although the overall- and disease-free survival rates were promising in such a group of patients who had no better chance, it could be asserted that liver transplant is a safe and effective treatment option with promising results, even if the tumor expanse is beyond the Milan criteria.

Transarterial oily chemoembolization with lidamycin shows potent therapeutic efficacy in VX2 rabbit liver tumor

Transarterial oily chemoembolization (TOCE) is one of the most effective approaches for the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), who are not suitable for surgical therapy. Lidamycin (LDM), a potent antitumor antibiotic, demonstrates good antitumor efficacy in various tumor types, both in vitro and in vivo. In this study, the antitumor efficacy of LDM combined with TOCE against the rabbit VX2 tumor was assessed. A toxicity assay with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) demonstrated that a combination of LDM with lipiodol did not impair the cytotoxicity of LDM against HepG2 cells in vitro. Using TOCE in rabbit VX2 tumor models, LDM showed a more powerful inhibitory effect against the tumor and lowered the expression levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), cluster of differentiation 31 (CD31), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) compared to Adriamycin (ADM); moreover, this improvement was not accompanied by an increase of hepatotoxicity as shown by alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels. These results suggested that LDM combined with TOCE may be a feasible strategy in HCC therapy in the future.

Huge hepatocellular carcinoma with multiple intrahepatic metastases: An aggressive multimodal treatment

INTRODUCTION

Huge hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) possesses a potential risk for spontaneous rupture, which leads to a life-threatening complication with a high mortality rate. In addition, a large HCC is frequently accompanied by intrahepatic metastases.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

We describe, the case of a 74-year-old woman with a huge extrahepatically expanding HCC with multiple intrahepatic metastases who was treated by liver resection with repeated transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). To prevent tumor rupture or bleeding, we performed right hepatectomy. After the operation, TACE was applied for multiple intrahepatic metastases in the remnant liver. Furthermore, the elevated protein induced vitamin K absence (PIVKA II) level had decreased to limits within the normal range. Three months after the first TACE, computed tomography revealed several recurrences in the liver. TACE was applied for the second and third time and the tumors were well controlled.

DISCUSSION

Although, liver resection is occasionally performed for patients with huge HCC to avoid spontaneous tumor rupture, only surgical approach might not be sufficient for such advanced HCC. To achieve long-term survival, it is necessary to control the residual intrahepatic tumors. We could control multiple intrahepatic metastases with repeated TACEs after hepatectomy.

CONCLUSION

Multimodal treatment involving hepatectomy and TACE might be a good treatment strategy for patients with huge HCC with multiple intrahepatic metastases if the tumors are localized in the liver without distant or peritoneal metastasis.

Prognostic Nomograms for Pre- and Postoperative Predictions of Long-Term Survival for Patients Who Underwent Liver Resection for Huge Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Liver resection is an effective treatment in select patients with huge hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, diameter ≥10 cm). This study aimed to develop nomograms for pre- and postoperative predictions of overall survival (OS) for these patients.

STUDY DESIGN

There were 464 consecutive patients who underwent liver resection for huge HCC at the Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital (EHBH) between January 2008 and December 2009. They were collected and divided into a training cohort (n = 310) and an internal validation cohort (n = 154). Another 90 patients who were operated on at the Fujian Medical University (FMU) between January 2008 and April 2010 served as an external validation cohort. The surgical morbidity, mortality, time to recurrence, and OS were observed. Two prognostic nomograms were developed based separately on the data obtained before and after surgery. Discrimination and predictive accuracy of the models were measured using concordance index (C-index), calibration curves, and validation study.

RESULTS

The postoperative 4-year tumor recurrence and OS rates were, respectively, 79.0% and 41.2% in the patients from the EHBH and 78.8% and 37.6% in those from the FMU. Independent predictors of OS on multivariable analysis using pre- and postoperative data were respectively incorporated into the 2 nomograms. In the training cohort, calibration curves for the probability of 4-year postoperative survival fitted well. The C-indexes of the pre- and postoperative nomograms in predicting OS were 0.75 (95% CI 0.72 to 0.78) and 0.78 (95% CI 0.75 to 0.81), respectively. The internal and external validation studies optimally supported these results.

CONCLUSIONS

The 2 nomograms achieved accurate pre- or postoperative predictions of long-term survival for patients with huge HCC after liver resection.

Identifying candidates with favorable prognosis following liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma: Data mining analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The optimal cutoff of each value in configuring selection criteria for pre-transplant assessment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains uncertain.

METHODS

To build a predictive model for recurrent HCC, we performed data mining analysis on patients who underwent LT for HCC at University Health Network (n = 246). The model was externally validated using a cohort from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) database (n = 9,769).

RESULTS

Among 246 patients, 14.6% (n = 36) experienced recurrent HCC within 2.5 years post-LT. The risk prediction model for recurrent HCC identified two subgroups with low-risk (total tumor diameter [TTD] <4 cm and serum alpha-fetoprotein [AFP] <73 ng/ml, n = 135) and with high-risk (TTD >4 cm and/or AFP >73 ng/ml, n = 111). The reproducibility of the model was validated through the SRTR database; overall patient survival rate was significantly better in low-risk group than high-risk group (P < 0.0001). Using Cox regression model, this yardstick, not Milan criteria, was revealed to efficiently predict post-transplant survival independent of underlying characteristics (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Grouping LT candidates with pre-LT HCC by the cutoffs of TTD 4 cm and AFP 73 ng/ml which were unearthed by data mining analysis efficiently classify patients according by the post-transplant prognosis.