Hepatic sarcomatoid carcinoma: magnetic resonance imaging evaluation by using the liver imaging reporting and data system

Performance of LI-RADS category 5 vs combined categories 4 and 5: a systemic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS, LR) category 5 has high specificity and modest sensitivity for diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic performance of LR-5 vs combined LR-4 and LR-5 (LR-4/5) for HCC diagnosis.

METHODS

MEDLINE and EMBASE databases through January 03, 2023 were searched for studies reporting the performance of LR-5 and combined LR-4/5 for HCC diagnosis, using CT/MRI LI-RADS version 2014, 2017, or 2018. A bivariate random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled per-observation diagnostic performance. Subgroup analysis was performed based on imaging modalities and type of MRI contrast material.

RESULTS

Sixty-nine studies (15,108 observations, 9928 (65.7%) HCCs) were included. Compared to LR-5, combined LR-4/5 showed significantly higher pooled sensitivity (83.0% (95% CI [80.3-85.8%]) vs 65.7% (95% CI [62.4-69.1%]); p < 0.001), lower pooled specificity (75.0% (95% CI [70.5-79.6%]) vs 91.7% (95% CI [90.2-93.1%]); p < 0.001), lower pooled positive likelihood ratio (3.60 (95% CI [3.06-4.23]) vs 6.18 (95% CI [5.35-7.14]); p < 0.001), and lower pooled negative likelihood ratio (0.22 (95% CI [0.19-0.25]) vs 0.38 (95% CI [0.35-0.41]) vs; p < 0.001). Similar results were seen in all subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS

Our meta-analysis showed that combining LR-4 and LR-5 would increase sensitivity but decrease specificity, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio. These findings may inform management guidelines and individualized management.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT

This meta-analysis estimated the magnitude of changes in the sensitivity and specificity of imaging criteria when LI-RADS categories 4 and 5 were combined; these findings can inform management guidelines and individualized management.

KEY POINTS

There is no single worldwide reporting system for liver imaging, partly due to regional needs. Combining LI-RADS categories 4 and 5 increased sensitivity and decreased specificity and positive and negative likelihood ratios. Changes in the sensitivity and specificity of imaging criteria can inform management guidelines and individualized management.

Sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma: A case report and review of the literature

RATIONALE

Sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma (SHC) is a rare malignant tumor composed of both carcinoma and sarcoma components. It has atypical clinical symptoms and a high degree of malignancy, with rapid progression and a poor prognosis.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 63-year-old female patient was admitted to our hospital with a chief complaint of fatigue present for more than 1 month and fever for 10 days.

DIAGNOSES

This patient underwent an upper abdominal MRI plain scan and enhanced scan showed a solid tumor in the right lobe of the liver, with a size of approximately 4.7 cm × 4.0 cm × 6.5 cm, present as low signal on T1WI, slightly high signal on T2WI, and heterogeneous high signal on DWI. Multi-phase dynamic contrast-enhanced MR scan showed significant enhancement in the arterial phase and low enhancement in the portal and delayed phases. The pathology showed the tumor cells to be positive for cytokeratin (CK), Vimentin, EMA, CD34, cyclinD1, negative for CK8, CK19, CK20, SMA, Desmin, S-100, CD117, Dog-1, Hepar-1, SOX-10 and ALK, and Ki-67 approximately 50%, which confirmed the diagnosis of SHC.

INTERVENTIONS

Laparoscopic right posterior lobe of liver resection was conducted, and the postoperative pathology revealed the presence of SHC.

OUTCOMES

The patient was discharged 9 days after the surgery without any complications. There has been no evidence of recurrence at the 1 month, however bilateral pleural metastases appeared during the follow-up 3 months after surgery.

LESSONS

SHC is a rare and aggressive liver cancer. So far, there is still a lack of effective therapeutic strategy, and the prognosis was dismal even though patients received radical surgical resection.

Automated CT LI-RADS v2018 scoring of liver observations using machine learning: A multivendor, multicentre retrospective study

Background & Aims

Assessment of computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) v2018 major features leads to substantial inter-reader variability and potential decrease in hepatocellular carcinoma diagnostic accuracy. We assessed the performance and added-value of a machine learning (ML)-based algorithm in assessing CT LI-RADS major features and categorisation of liver observations compared with qualitative assessment performed by a panel of radiologists.

Methods

High-risk patients as per LI-RADS v2018 with pathologically proven liver lesions who underwent multiphase contrast-enhanced CT at diagnosis between January 2015 and March 2019 in seven centres in five countries were retrospectively included and randomly divided into a training set (n = 84 lesions) and a test set (n = 345 lesions). An ML algorithm was trained to classify non-rim arterial phase hyperenhancement, washout, and enhancing capsule as present, absent, or of uncertain presence. LI-RADS major features and categories were compared with qualitative assessment of two independent readers. The performance of a sequential use of the ML algorithm and independent readers were also evaluated in a triage and an add-on scenario in LR-3/4 lesions. The combined evaluation of three other senior readers was used as reference standard.

Results

A total of 318 patients bearing 429 lesions were included. Sensitivity and specificity for LR-5 in the test set were 0.67 (95% CI, 0.62-0.72) and 0.91 (95% CI, 0.87-0.96) respectively, with 242 (70.1%) lesions accurately categorised. Using the ML algorithm in a triage scenario improved the overall performance for LR-5. (0.86 and 0.93 sensitivity, 0.82 and 0.76 specificity, 78% and 82.3% accuracy for the two independent readers).

Conclusions

Quantitative assessment of CT LI-RADS v2018 major features is feasible and diagnoses LR-5 observations with high performance especially in combination with the radiologist's visual analysis in patients at high-risk for HCC.

Impact and implications

Assessment of CT/MRI LI-RADS v2018 major features leads to substantial inter-reader variability and potential decrease in hepatocellular carcinoma diagnostic accuracy. Rather than replacing radiologists, our results highlight the potential benefit from the radiologist-artificial intelligence interaction in improving focal liver lesions characterisation by using the developed algorithm as a triage tool to the radiologist's visual analysis. Such an AI-enriched diagnostic pathway may help standardise and improve the quality of analysis of liver lesions in patients at high risk for HCC, especially in non-expert centres in liver imaging. It may also impact the clinical decision-making and guide the clinician in identifying the lesions to be biopsied, for instance in patients with multiple liver focal lesions.

Dynamic contrast-enhanced CT and clinical features of sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma

PURPOSE

To investigate the dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) features and clinical characteristics of sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma (S-HCC).

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the CECT data and clinical findings of 13 patients (11 male and 2 female, with an average age of 58.6 ± 11.2 years) with pathologically proven S-HCC, including 9 patients with surgical resection and 4 patients with biopsy examination. All patients underwent CECT scans. Two radiologists reviewed and evaluated general features, CECT features and extratumoral features of each lesions based on a consensus.

RESULTS

Among the thirteen tumors, a mean size of 66.7 mm was observed, ranging in diameter from 30 to 146 mm. Seven of thirteen patients had hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and an elevation of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level. Most of cases located in the right lobe of liver (84.6%, 11/13). Nine of thirteen tumors showed lobulated or wavy contours and infiltrative morphology, while eight tumors presented with unclear margin. The tumor textures were mainly heterogeneous for ischemia or necrosis, with solid components dominantly in all cases. Eight of thirteen tumors exhibited "slow-in and and slow-out" dynamic enhancement pattern in CECT, with a enhancement peak in the portal venous phase. Portal vein or hepatic thrombus, adjacent organs invasion and lymph node metastasis were observed in two patients, respectively. Four of thirteen lesions occurred intrahepatic metastasis and hepatic surface retraction respectively.

CONCLUSION

S-HCC gengerally seen in elderly male with HBV infection and elevated AFP level. The CT manifestations including: large diameter, frequently hepatic right lobe involvement, lobular or wavy contours, ill-defined margins, infiltrative morphology, obvious heterogeneity and dynamic enhancement pattern of "slow-in and and slow-out" , contributed to the diagnosis of S-HCC. These tumors usually occurred hepatic surface retraction and intrahepatic metastasis.

Imaging features of primary hepatic sarcomatoid carcinoma: Differentiation from hepatocellular carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma on CT: A preliminary study

Purpose

Primary hepatic sarcomatoid carcinoma (PHSC) is a rare type of malignant tumor in the liver. Nevertheless, few studies have focused on the imaging diagnosis of PHSC. In this study, we collected clinical and computed tomography (CT) imaging data of PHSC from two institutions, aiming to investigate the clinical and radiological characteristics of PHSC.

Methods

We retrospectively investigated the clinical characteristics and CT features of 22 PHSC patients (19 males and 3 females; mean age, 63.4 years; range, 49 to 76 years), 95 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients and 50 intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) patients. Two radiologists independently evaluated the CT features of the three groups. Subsequently, we analyzed the differences in the clinical characteristics and CT features between the PHSC and control groups.

Results

Most PHSCs were larger than 5 cm (72.7%). PHSC mainly showed irregular (81.8%), heterogeneous (100%) masses with ill-defined (72.7%) borders with necrosis (86.4%) on CT, which are more common CT features versus HCC (p < 0.001). In the arterial phase, PHSC always showed noticeable heterogeneous enhancement (100.0%), mainly manifesting as partial arterial phase hyperenhancement (APHE) (86.4%). The enhancement patterns of PHSC mainly included delayed progressive enhancement (72.7%), nonperipheral washout (22.7%), and unclassified enhancement (4.5%), which were significantly different from the HCC enhancement pattern but similar to the enhancement pattern of ICC. In addition, vein tumor thrombus (18.2%), intrahepatic metastasis (27.3%), and lymphadenopathy (27.3%) were relatively common in PHSC. Furthermore, most PHSC tumors classified as LR-M (66.7%) were similar to ICC.

Conclusions

PHSC generally presents as irregularly large masses with necrosis, intrahepatic metastasis, and lymphadenopathy. The CT enhancement of PHSC is mainly part of APHE and delayed progressive enhancement.

Gastric infiltration of hepatic sarcomatoid carcinoma: A case report and literature review

Background

Hepatic sarcomatoid carcinoma (HSC) is an extremely rare malignant tumor typically observed in clinical settings. HSC occurrence is predominantly noted in the right lobe and rarely in the left lobe of the liver. This report presents a case of sarcomatoid carcinoma that occurred in the left outer lobe of the liver, which was accompanied by gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GSTs) in the greater curvature of the stomach. In addition, the patient showed late-stage recurrence of HSC in gastric tissues.

Case presentation

A 63-year-old man was concomitantly diagnosed with HSC and GST. The main clinical manifestation was fever. Abdominal computer tomography (CT) and ultrasound-guided percutaneous liver biopsy at the local hospital revealed the presence of malignant hepatic tumors. The patient approached our hospital for further treatment. The subsequent electronic gastroscopy showed multiple submucosal tumors (SMT) in the stomach. Owing to the absence of multiple metastases in other regions of the body, we performed left hepatic lobe resection with gastric partial resection. The postoperative pathological analysis confirmed the presence of HSC and GST. The patient reported feeling well 1 month after the surgery, and no obvious space-occupying lesions in other areas were noted via imaging examinations. However, 3 months later, the patient presented with pain in the upper left abdomen, and examination revealed cancer recurrence in the stomach. The surgery was repeated, and the patient recovered favorably after the procedure. Unfortunately, the patient died owing to multiple metastatic diseases 4 months after the second surgical procedure.

Conclusion

HSC shows no characteristic clinical manifestations and is highly malignant. Surgical intervention is the first treatment of choice for patients with HSC. In cases of sarcomatoid cancer occurring in the left lobe of the liver, it is imperative to exercise strict vigilance against the tumor's invasion of the stomach tissue. This is particularly important when the tumor breaks through the capsule of the liver.

A retrospective study on the clinical and pathological features of hepatic sarcomatoid carcinoma: Fourteen cases of a rare tumor

Hepatic sarcomatoid carcinoma is a rare liver malignancy with atypical clinical symptoms and a high degree of malignancy. To improve the understanding of this disease, we collected the clinical and pathological data of 14 patients with hepatic sarcomatoid carcinoma admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital and Second Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College from 2011 to 2021 and reviewed the relevant literature. The clinical and pathological data of 14 patients with hepatic sarcomatoid carcinoma were collected from the electronic medical record system of the 2 hospitals. All clinical data were independently reviewed by 2 clinicians, and all pathological data were independently reviewed by 2 pathologists. At the same time, we reviewed the related literature on hepatic sarcomatoid carcinoma in Pubmed and CNKI. This group of 14 patients, 10 males and 4 females, aged 50-77 years. The main symptoms of the patients were abdominal pain, bloating, anorexia, fatigue or weight loss in the upper abdomen, and 3 patients were asymptomatic. On imaging, hepatic sarcomatoid carcinoma manifests as heterogeneous mass with irregular shape and unclear boundary, and computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) enhanced scan shows progressive or persistent heterogeneous enhancement, marginal enhancement or annular enhancement, and central necrosis. The pathological features of hepatic sarcomatoid carcinoma are the proliferation of spindle cells and pleomorphic cells, which alternate with acinar cells. Hepatic sarcomatoid carcinoma is more common in middle-aged and elderly patients, especially men, and has no characteristic clinical manifestations. Imaging examination and B-ultrasound-guided liver biopsy + immunohistochemistry can help diagnose. Radical surgery is the preferred method for hepatic sarcomatoid carcinoma, and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy is expected to prolong patient survival.

Clinical diagnosis and treatment strategies for sarcomatoid intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Sarcomatoid intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (SiCCA) is a malignant tumor composed of mixed epithelial cells and mesenchymal cells derived from malignant bile duct cells. SiCCA has a low incidence and has no specific clinical manifestations and serological and imaging examinations. The diagnosis of SiCCA relies on histopathology and immunohistochemistry. The very high malignancy of SiCCA makes it prone to liver and other organ metastases. SiCCA has a poor prognosis because it has a low surgical resection rate, is easy to relapse shortly after surgery, and has no effective prevention and treatment measures. Comprehensive analysis integrating imaging, serum tumor markers, and histopathological examination technology is an important measure to improve the diagnosis of SiCCA and reduce the misdiagnosis rate. Early diagnosis, surgical treatment, and comprehensive postoperative treatment based on chemotherapy are the keys to improving the survival and prognosis of patients with SiCCA.

18F-FDG PET/CT Imaging in Sarcomatoid Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma is a rare subtype of hepatocellular carcinoma. We present a 53-year-old man with a hepatic IV/VIII segment neoplasm whose tumor markers were all in the reference range. The neoplasm presented intense uptake of 18F-FDG and was confirmed as sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma by immunohistochemistry. After 6 cycles of PD-1 treatment, no recurrence or metastasis was found by follow-up CT over 2 years. Thus, we reported a case of sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma with complete remission to PD-1 treatment and provided some help for the diagnosis and treatment of sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma.

Sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma versus conventional hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma (SHCC) is a rare subtype of primary liver malignancies and is still ill-defined and poorly understood. Therefore, our study was performed to have a comprehensive evaluation SHCC versus conventional hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

A thorough database searching was performed in PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library. RevMan5.3 and Stata 13.0 software were used for statistical analyses. The primary endpoint of our analysis is the long-term survival and the secondary endpoint is clinical and pathological features.

RESULTS

Four studies with a relative large cohort were finally identified. Compared with patients with pure HCC, patients with SHCC had a significantly worse overall survival (P < 0.00001) and disease-free survival (P < 0.0001). Moreover, a larger tumor size (P = 0.003), a higher incidence of node metastasis (P < 0.00001) and a higher proportion of advanced lesions (P = 0.04) were more frequently detected in patients with SHCC. Higher levels of serum ALT (P = 0.02) and TB (P = 0.005) were detected in patients with HCC rather than SHCC, while serum ALB (P = 0.02) level was relatively higher in patients with SHCC. For other measured outcomes, including concurrent viral hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, liver storage (Child A/B), multifocal tumors, vascular invasion and preoperative AFP level, the results showed no significant difference (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

SHCC has a worse prognosis and exhibits more aggressively than conventional HCC. Future large well-designed studies are demanded for further validation.

Pathologic, Molecular, and Prognostic Radiologic Features of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignancy with variable biologic aggressiveness based on the tumor grade, presence or absence of vascular invasion, and pathologic and molecular classification. Knowledge and understanding of the prognostic implications of different pathologic and molecular phenotypes of HCC are emerging, with therapeutics that promise to provide improved outcomes in what otherwise remains a lethal cancer. Imaging has a central role in diagnosis of HCC. However, to date, the imaging algorithms do not incorporate prognostic features or subclassification of HCC according to its biologic aggressiveness. Emerging data suggest that some imaging features and further radiologic, pathologic, or radiologic-molecular phenotypes may allow prediction of the prognosis of patients with HCC. An invited commentary by Bashir is available online. Online supplemental material is available for this article. ^©RSNA, 2021.

Primary Liver Sarcomatoid Carcinoma: A Case Series and Literature Review

Background

Primary liver sarcomatoid carcinoma (PLSC) is rare. To improve the understanding of PLSC, cases were described and reviewing the literature.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was performed on 14 cases of PLSC diagnosed by pathology in Northeastern China from 2010 to 2020. An individual participant data analysis based on reported cases was conducted to determine epidemiological characteristics, clinical characteristics, and prognoses of PLSC.

Results

A total of 136 cases involved our 14 cases and 122 cases from previous reports. The percentages of sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma, sarcomatoid cholangiolocellular carcinoma, and mixed and unclassified types were 36.8%, 41.9%, 5.9%, and 15.4%, respectively. A total of 95.6% PLSC was found in Asia. There was a lower percentage of hepatitis-infected patients in Japan, when compared with the Republic of Korea (38.5% vs 70.0%, P<0.05). Five cases were initially misdiagnosed as a hepatic abscess by imaging. A total of 36.7% cases had metastases when being diagnosed, and 68.9% cases relapsed during the follow-up. The median disease-free survival and overall survival (OS) were 3 months and 5 months, respectively. Only radical surgery (hazard ratio = 0.308, 95% confidence interval 0.186–0.512, P<0.001) indicated a better OS.

Conclusion

PLSC was more prevalent in Asia and there were possibilities of misdiagnoses. Surgery is still an effective treatment and can significantly prolong the OS. Only limited strategies for recurrent or advanced PLSC, immunotherapy may be possible treatment.

MRI Features of Hepatic Sarcomatoid Carcinoma Different From Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Introduction

Hepatic sarcomatoid carcinoma (HSC) is a rare type of liver cancer with a high malignant grade and poor prognosis. This study compared the clinical characteristics and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of HSCs with those of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), aiming to identify valuable features for HSC diagnosis.

Methods

In total, 17 pathologically confirmed HSC cases, 50 HCC cases and 50 common ICC cases were enrolled from two hospitals. The clinical characteristics and MRI features of all cases were summarized and statistically analyzed.

Results

On the one hand, the incidence rates of elevated carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 and elevated carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were significantly higher in the HSC cases than in the HCC cases (29.4% vs. 0%; 17.6% vs. 0%). The HSC enhancement patterns, primarily including progressive enhancement, were also significantly different from HCC cases. The incidence rates of heterogeneous signals on T2-weighted imaging and during the arterial phase were significantly higher in the HSC cases than in the HCC cases (94.1% vs. 66.0%; 100.0% vs. 72.0%). The diameter of HSCs was significantly larger than that in the HCC cases (6.12 cm vs. 4.21 cm), and the incidence rates of adjacent cholangiectasis, intrahepatic metastasis and lymph node enlargement were considerably higher in the HSC cases than in the HCC cases (52.9% vs. 6.0%; 47.1% vs. 12.0%; 41.2% vs. 2.0%). On the other hand, the incidence rate of elevated CA199 was significantly lower in the HSC cases than in the ICC cases (29.4% vs. 60.0%). The incidence rates of intratumoral necrosis and pseudocapsules were significantly higher in the HSC cases than in the HCC cases (35.3% vs. 8.0%; 47.1% vs. 12.0%). However, the incidence rates of target signs were significantly lower in the HSC cases than in the HCC cases (11.8% vs. 42.0%). In addition, there was no significant difference in the enhancement patterns between HSC cases and ICC cases.

Conclusions

HSCs were frequently seen in elderly men with clinical symptoms and elevated CA199 levels. The MRI features, including large size, obvious heterogeneity, hemorrhage, progressive enhancement, pseudocapsule and lymph node enlargement, contributed to the diagnosis of HSC.

Rim-arterial enhancing primary hepatic tumors with other targetoid appearance show early recurrence after radiofrequency ablation

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate early (≤ 2 years) local tumor progression (LTP), intrahepatic distant metastasis (IDR), and extrahepatic metastasis (EM) of primary hepatic malignant tumors with arterial rim enhancement (RE) after RFA in comparison with non-RE tumors.

METHODS

Three hundred forty-nine patients who underwent RFA for primary hepatic malignant tumors between January 2009 and December 2016 were included. The patients' tumors were classified into non-RE, RE only (RO), and RE plus other targetoid appearances (REoT). Cumulative LTP, IDR, and EM rates at 1 and 2 years after RFA were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Prognostic factors for the outcomes were assessed using a Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

There were 303 non-RE, 19 RO, and 27 REoT tumors. The REoT tumors had a significantly higher rate of IDR and EM than non-RE (p = 0.04 for IDR; and p < 0.01 for EM, respectively) at 1 year after RFA. At 2 years, LTP and EM rates were significantly higher for REoT than for non-RE (p = 0.001 for LTP; and p = 0.444 for EM, respectively). The RO tumors did not have different outcomes than non-RE at 1 and 2 years after RFA. Multivariable analysis verified that REoT was a significant factor for IDR (p = 0.04) and EM (p = 0.01) at 1 year and LTP (p = 0.02) at 2 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Tumors with REoT had poor LTP, IDR, and EM within 2 years after RFA than non-RE tumors. However, tumors with RO showed similar results as non-RE tumors.

KEY POINTS

• Tumors with Rim enhancement plus other targetoid appearances (REoT) had a significantly higher rate of recurrence than non-rim enhancing (RE) tumors at 1 and 2 years after RFA. • Tumors with rim enhancement only did not have different outcomes than non-RE at 1 and 2 years after RFA.

Sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma is distinct from ordinary hepatocellular carcinoma: Clinicopathologic, transcriptomic and immunologic analyses

Sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma (SHCC), which was a rare histological subtype of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is currently subclassified as poorly differentiated HCC because of insufficient evidence to define SHCC as a subtype of HCC. We aimed to assess the feasibility of classifying SHCC as a histological subtype of HCC by comprehensively identifying novel and distinct characteristics of SHCC compared to ordinary HCC (OHCC). Fifteen SHCCs (1.4%) defined as HCC with at least a 10% sarcomatous component, 15 randomly disease-stage-matched OHCCs and 163 consecutive OHCCs were extracted from 1106 HCCs in the Pathology Database (1997-2019) of our hospital. SHCC patients showed poor prognosis, and the tumors could be histologically subclassified into the pleomorphic, spindle and giant cell types according to the subtype of carcinomas with sarcomatoid or undifferentiated morphology in other organs. The transcriptomic analysis revealed distinct characteristics of SHCC featuring the upregulation of genes associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and inflammatory responses. The fluorescent multiplex immunohistochemistry results revealed prominent programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression on sarcomatoid tumor cells and higher infiltration of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells in SHCCs compared to OHCCs. The density of CD8⁺ T cells in the nonsarcomatous component of SHCCs was also higher than that in OHCCs. In conclusion, the comprehensive analyses in our study demonstrated that SHCC is distinct from OHCC in terms of clinicopathologic, transcriptomic and immunologic characteristics. Therefore, it is reasonable to consider SHCC as a histological subtype of HCC.

Development and validation of a comprehensive radiomics nomogram for prognostic prediction of primary hepatic sarcomatoid carcinoma after surgical resection

Objective: This study aimed to establish and validate a radiomics nomogram comprised of clinical factors and radiomics signatures to predict prognosis of primary hepatic sarcomatoid carcinoma (PHSC) patients after surgical resection. Methods: In this retrospective study, 79 patients with pathological confirmation of PHSC and underwent surgical resection were recruited. A radiomics nomogram was developed by radiomics signatures and independent clinical risk factors selecting from multivariate Cox regression. All patients were stratified as high risk and low risk by nomogram. Model performance and clinical usefulness were assessed by C-index, calibration curve, decision curve analysis (DCA) and survival curve. Results: A total of 79 PHSC were included with 1-year and 3-year overall survival rates of 63.3% and 35.4%, respectively. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method selected 3 features. Multivariate Cox analysis found six independent prognostic factors. The radiomics nomogram showed a significant prediction value with overall survival (HR: 7.111, 95%CI: 3.933-12.858, P<0.001). C-index of nomogram was 0.855 and 0.829 in training and validation set, respectively. Decision curve analysis validated the clinical utility of this nomogram. There was a significant difference in the 1-year and 3-year survival rates of stratified high-risk and low-risk patients in the whole cohort (30.6% vs. 90.1% and 5.6% vs. 62.4%, respectively, P < 0.001). Conclusion: This radiomics nomogram serve as a potential tool for predicting prognosis of PHSC after surgical resection, and help to identify high risk patients who may obtain feeble survival benefit from surgical resection.

Achievement of complete response to nivolumab in a patient with advanced sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma: A case report

BACKGROUND

Sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma (SHC) is a rare subtype of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with a high recurrence rate after surgery. In addition to limited effective treatment for the advanced stage of SHC, the prognosis of patients with this malignancy is worse than that of patients with conventional HCC.

CASE SUMMARY

We present the case of a 54-year-old man with SHC who underwent radical segmental hepatectomy, which relapsed 4 mo after surgery due to lymphatic metastasis in the porta hepatis. Although a second surgery was performed, new metastasis developed in the mediastinal lymph nodes. Therefore, sorafenib and lenvatinib were sequentially administered as first- and second-line systemic therapies, respectively. However, progressive disease was confirmed based on a recurrent hepatic lesion and new metastatic lesion in the abdominal cavity. Percutaneous transhepatic cholangial drainage was performed to alleviate the biliary obstruction. Because the tumor was strongly positive for programmed death-ligand 1, the patient was started on nivolumab. Imaging studies revealed that after two cycles of immunotherapy, the metastatic lesions decreased to undetectable levels.

CONCLUSION

The patient experienced continuous complete remission for 8 mo. Immune checkpoint inhibitors are useful for the treatment of advanced SHC.

The Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System tumor-in-vein category: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to systematically determine the etiology of the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) tumor-in-vein category (LR-TIV) on contrast-enhanced CT or MRI and to determine the sources of heterogeneity between reported results.

METHODS

Original studies reporting the etiology of LR-TIV were identified in MEDLINE and EMBASE up until July 7, 2020. The meta-analytic pooled percentages of HCC and non-HCC in LR-TIV were calculated. Subgroup analyses were performed according to the type of reference standard and the most common underlying liver disease. Meta-regression analysis was performed to explore study heterogeneity.

RESULTS

Sixteen studies reported the etiology of a total of 150 LR-TIV, of which 98 (65%) were HCC and 52 (35%) were non-HCC. The meta-analytic pooled percentages of HCC and non-HCC in LR-TIV were 70.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 55.7-82.5%; I² = 59%) and 29.2% (95% CI, 17.5-44.4%; I² = 59%), respectively. The meta-analytic pooled percentage of HCC was lower in studies using only pathology as a reference standard (67.1%; 95% CI, 49.3-81.1%), but higher in studies in which hepatitis C was the most common underlying liver disease (81.9%; 95% CI, 11.3-99.4%) than that in the total 16 studies. Study type (cohort study versus case-control study) was significantly associated with study heterogeneity (p = 0.04).

CONCLUSION

The most common etiology of LR-TIV was HCC. It might be important to understand the percentage of HCC and non-HCC in LR-TIV in consideration of the type of reference standard, geographic differences, and study design.

KEY POINTS

• The most common etiology of Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) tumor-in-vein category (LR-TIV) was hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). • The percentage of HCC in LR-TIV was relatively low in studies using only pathology as a reference standard, but high in studies in which hepatitis C was the most common underlying liver disease. • Study type was a factor significantly influencing study heterogeneity.

Computed Tomography Features and Clinicopathological Characteristics of Gastric Sarcomatoid Carcinoma

Purpose

Gastric sarcomatoid carcinoma (GSC) is a very rare malignant tumor. The purpose of this study is to describe the clinical, computed tomography (CT), and pathologic features of GSC to increase awareness of this entity.

Methods

The CT features and clinical data of five patients with pathologically documented GSC were retrospectively analyzed and compared with the corresponding data of gastric adenocarcinoma and lymphoma.

Results

Among the 5 patients, 4 were male, and 1 was female. The median age was 59 years. Of the 5 cases of GSC, 3 were in the gastric fundus and cardia, 1 was in the gastric body, and 1 was in the gastric fundus. The gastric wall had local thickening in 4 cases and mass formation in 1 case, with stenosis and deformation of the adjacent gastric cavity. The long-axis diameter of the lesions ranged from 1.4 to 10.2 cm (mean, 4.97 cm) and was <10 cm in 4 cases and >10 cm in 1 case. The tumor showed predominantly inhomogeneous density, with radiodensity values ranging from 30 to 53 HU. In addition, ulcers with an irregular base and slightly raised borders were observed in 4 of 5 cases. After an injection of contrast material, heterogeneous (n = 4) or homogeneous (n = 1) enhancement was observed. After contrast medium injection, obvious enhancement was seen in 2 cases, and moderate enhancement was seen in 3 cases; the peak tumor signal was observed in the portal phase. Two of the patients demonstrated evidence of lymph node involvement, and in one patient, the boundary between the lesion and the left lobe of the liver was unclear, with low attenuation in the right lobe of the liver with circular enhancement. The remaining two patients showed no evidence of metastasis.

Conclusion

Although GSC is extremely rare, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of gastric adenocarcinoma and lymphoma. CT findings, combined with patient age and sex, can provide support for the diagnosis of GSC. However, the final diagnosis must be confirmed with histopathology.

Clinicopathological characteristics and surgical outcomes of sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common type of cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Sarcomatoid HCC, which contains poorly differentiated carcinomatous and sarcomatous components, is a rare histological subtype of HCC that differs from conventional HCC. It is highly aggressive and has a poor prognosis. Its clinicopathological characteristics, surgical outcomes and underlying mechanisms of its highly aggressive nature have not been fully elucidated.

AIM

To examine the clinicopathological characteristics and surgical outcomes of sarcomatoid HCC and explore the histogenesis of sarcomatoid HCC.

METHODS

In total, 196 patients [41 sarcomatoid HCC and 155 high-grade (Edmondson-Steiner grade III or IV) HCC] who underwent surgical resection between 2007 and 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. The characteristics and surgical outcomes of sarcomatoid HCC were compared with those of patients with high-grade HCC. The histological composition of invasive and metastatic sarcomatoid HCCs was evaluated.

RESULTS

Sarcomatoid HCC was more frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage with a larger tumor and higher rates of nonspecific symptom, adjacent organ invasion and lymph node metastasis than high-grade HCC (all P < 0.05). Compared with high-grade HCC patients, sarcomatoid HCC patients are less likely to have typical dynamic imaging features of HCC (44.4% vs 72.7%, P = 0.001) and elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein levels (> 20 ng/mL; 36.6% vs 78.7%, P < 0.001). The sarcomatoid group had a significantly shorter median recurrence-free survival (5.6 mo vs 16.4 mo, log-rank P < 0.0001) and overall survival (10.5 mo vs 48.1 mo, log-rank P < 0.0001) than the high-grade group. After controlling for confounding factors, the sarcomatoid subtype was identified as an independent predictor of poor prognosis. Pathological analyses indicated that invasive and metastatic lesions were mainly composed of carcinomatous components.

CONCLUSION

Sarcomatoid HCC was associated with a more advanced stage, atypical dynamic imaging, lower serum alpha-fetoprotein levels and a worse prognosis. The highly aggressive nature of sarcomatoid HCC is perhaps mediated by carcinomatous components.

Diagnostic Performance of CT/MRI Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System v2017 for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) is a comprehensive system for standardizing liver imaging in patients at high risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We performed a meta-analysis to determine the diagnostic performance of the LR-5 category for HCC and the pooled proportions of HCCs in each LI-RADS category using CT/MRI LI-RADS v2017.

METHODS

We searched multiple databases for original studies reporting on the diagnostic accuracy of CT/MRI LI-RADS v2017. Random-effects models were used to determine the summary estimates of the diagnostic performance of the LR-5 category and the pooled proportions of HCCs for each LI-RADS category. Risk of bias and concerns regarding applicability were evaluated with the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool.

RESULTS

Fourteen studies (3 prospective studies and 11 retrospective studies) were included in the final analysis, consisting of 2056 patients, 2589 observations, and 1693 HCCs. The pooled per-observation sensitivity was 67% (95% confidence interval [CI], 62%-72%) with specificity of 92% (95% CI, 88%-95%) in the LR-5 category of CT/MRI LI-RADS v2017 for diagnosing HCC. The pooled proportions of HCCs were 0% (95% CI, 0%-0%) for LR-1, 4% (95% CI, 0%-8%) for LR-2, 34% (95% CI, 23%-44%) for LR-3, 67% (95% CI, 53%-81%) for LR-4, and 92% (95% CI, 87%-96%) for LR-5. The proportions of HCCs were significantly different among LI-RADS categories 1-5 (P = .034).

CONCLUSIONS

The LR-5 category of CT/MRI LI-RADS v2017 shows moderate sensitivity and high specificity for diagnosing HCC. Higher LI-RADS categories contained higher proportions of HCCs.

Multiphase Liver MRI for Identifying the Macrotrabecular-Massive Subtype of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background The recently described "macrotrabecular-massive" (MTM) histologic subtype of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (MTM-HCC) represents an aggressive form of HCC and is associated with poor survival. Purpose To investigate whether preoperative MRI can help identify MTM-HCCs in patients with HCC. Materials and Methods This retrospective study included patients with HCC treated with surgical resection between January 2008 and February 2018 and who underwent preoperative multiphase contrast material-enhanced MRI. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO)-penalized and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify clinical, biologic, and imaging features associated with the MTM-HCC subtype. Early recurrence (within 2 years) and overall recurrence were evaluated by using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was performed to determine predictors of early and overall recurrence. Results One hundred fifty-two patients (median age, 64 years; interquartile range, 56-72 years; 126 men) with 152 HCCs were evaluated. Twenty-six of the 152 HCCs (17%) were MTM-HCCs. LASSO-penalized logistic regression analysis identified substantial necrosis, high serum α-fetoprotein (AFP) level (>100 ng/mL), and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage B or C as independent features associated with MTM-HCCs. At multivariable analysis, substantial necrosis (odds ratio = 32; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 8.9, 114; P < .001), high serum AFP level (odds ratio = 4.4; 95% CI = 1.3, 16; P = .02), and BCLC stage B or C (odds ratio = 4.2; 95% CI = 1.2, 15; P = .03) were independent predictors of MTM-HCC subtype. Substantial necrosis helped identify 65% (17 of 26; 95% CI: 44%, 83%) of MTM-HCCs (sensitivity) with a specificity of 93% (117 of 126; 95% CI: 87%, 97%). In adjusted models, only the presence of satellite nodules was independently associated with both early (hazard ratio = 3.7; 95% CI: 1.5, 9.4; P = .006) and overall (hazard ratio = 3.0; 95% CI: 1.3, 7.2; P = .01) tumor recurrence. Conclusion At multiphase contrast-enhanced MRI, substantial necrosis helped identify macrotrabecular-massive hepatocellular carcinoma subtype with high specificity. © RSNA, 2020.

Clinical features of sarcomatoid change in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and prognosis after surgical liver resection: A Propensity Score Matching analysis

BACKGROUND

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with sarcomatoid change (iCCA-SC) is a rare histological subtype of iCCA, the clinical features and outcomes after surgical resection on the prognosis is still unknown.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of patients with histologically proven iCCA who underwent curative liver resection at our hospital between January 2008 and December 2018. Propensity score matching analysis was used to match patients with and without sarcomatoid change at a ratio of 1:4. The nomogram integrating all significant independent factors for overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) was constructed to predict prognosis for iCCA. The predictive accuracy ability of the nomogram was determined by Harrell's index (C-index).

RESULTS

A total of 40 iCCA-SC and 160 ordinary iCCA patients were included in this study. RFS and OS in the iCCA-SC group were significantly lower than those in the ordinary iCCA group (P<.001 and P = .002, respectively). The calibration curve for the probability of survival showed good agreement between the nomogram prediction and actual observation.

CONCLUSION

The histological sarcomatoid subtype is an independent predictor of tumor recurrence and shorter OS in iCCA patients. The nomogram we established could provide more accurate prognostic prediction for iCCA patients.