Trends in surgical results of hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma: 1,000 consecutive cases over 20 years in a single institution

Comparison of laparoscopic hepatectomy and percutaneous radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of small hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis

AIM

The purpose of this study was to compare the long-term outcomes of laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) and percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (PRFA) for the treatment of small hepatocellular carcinoma.

METHODS

We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Medline from January 2000 to May 2022 for literature comparing the efficacy of LH and PRFA in the treatment of small hepatocellular carcinoma (largest tumour diameter ≤ 3 cm, number of intrahepatic tumours ≤3, or diameter of a single intrahepatic lesion ≤5 cm. ). We assessed overall survival (OS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), local recurrence and complication rates.

RESULTS

A total of 1886 patients with small HCC were included in the 8 studies included in this study, of which 839 underwent LH and 1047 underwent PRAF. The results of the meta-analysis showed that the two groups had the same 3-year (HR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.67 to 1.47) and 5-year (HR: 1.30, 95% CI: 0.90 to 1.87) OS rates, and the LH group had better 3-year (HR: 0.58, 95% CI: 0.49 to 0.68) and 5-year (HR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.37 to 0.85) RFS rates. The LH group had a lower local recurrence rate (OR: 0.19, 95% CI: 0.12 to 0.32), but the PRFA group had a lower complication rate (OR: 2.49, 95% CI: 1.76 to 3.54).

CONCLUSION

There was no difference in OS between LH and PRFA in the treatment of small HCC. LH had a higher RFS rate and a lower local recurrence rate, but PRFA had a lower complication rate. In general, the long-term efficacy of LH in the treatment of small HCC is better than that of PRFA. Considering the advantages of less trauma and a low complication rate of PRFA, a large number of RCT studies are needed for further verification in the future.

Efficacy and safety of laparoscopic liver resection versus radiofrequency ablation in patients with early and small hepatocellular carcinoma: an updated meta-analysis and meta-regression of observational studies

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer, accounting for 90% of cases worldwide and a significant contributor to cancer-related deaths. This study comprehensively compares the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) versus laparoscopic or percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (LRFA or PRFA) in patients with early and small HCC.

METHODS

We systematically searched Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases to include studies comparing LLR versus LRFA or PRFA in patients with early HCC meets the Milan criteria (defined as solitary nodule < 5 cm or three nodules ≤ 3 cm with no extrahepatic spread or vascular invasion). Pooled results were examined for overall survival, disease-free survival, recurrence-free survival, local, intrahepatic and extrahepatic recurrence rates, and complications. We conducted subgroup analyses based on the type of RFA. Meta-regression analyzed the association between overall survival, local recurrence, and various factors. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. We analyzed the data using the R (v.4.3.0) programming language and the "meta" package of RStudio software.

RESULTS

We included 19 observational studies, compromising 3756 patients. LLR showed higher 5-year overall survival compared to RFA (RR = 1.17, 95% CI [1.06, 1.3], P > 0.01). Our subgroup analysis showed that LLR had higher 5-year survival than PRFA (RR = 1.15, 95% CI [1.02, 1.31], P = 0.03); however, there was no significant difference between LLR and LRFA (RR = 1.26, 95% CI [0.98, 1.63], P = 0.07). LLR was associated with higher disease-free survival) RR = 1.19, 95% CI [1.05, 1.35], P < 0.01; RR = 1.61, 95% CI [1.31, 1.98], P < 0.01(and recurrence-free survival) RR = 1.21, 95% CI [1.09, 1.35], P < 0.01; RR = 1.45, 95% CI [1.15, 1.84], P < 0.01(at 1 and 3 years. LLR was associated with lower local (RR = 0.28, 95% CI [0.16, 0.47], P < 0.01) and intrahepatic recurrence (RR = 0.7, 95% CI [0.5, 0.97], P = 0.03) than RFA. However, complications were significantly higher with LLR (RR = 2.01, 95% CI [1.51, 2.68], P < 0.01). Our meta-regression analysis showed that younger patients had higher risk for local recurrence (P = 0.008), while age wasn't significantly linked to overall survival (P = 0.25). Other covariates like total bilirubin, alpha-fetoprotein levels, and tumor size also showed no significant associations with either overall survival or local recurrence.

CONCLUSION

LLR offers improved long-term outcomes and lower recurrence rates than PRFA. However, no significant distinctions were observed between LRFA and LLR in overall survival, recurrence-free survival, and local recurrence. More robust well-designed RCTs are essential to validate our findings.

Validity of the Algorithm for Liver Resection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the Caudate Lobe

BACKGROUND

We aimed to validate our algorithm for resecting Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the caudate lobe based on tumor location, tumor size, and indocyanine green clearance rate.

METHODS

Patients who underwent curative resections for solitary HCC in the caudate lobe were included. The surgical outcomes of patients with HCC in the caudate lobe were compared with those of patients with HCC in other sites of the liver.

RESULTS

After one-to-one matching, the caudate-lobe group (n = 150) had longer operation time, greater amount of bleeding, lower weight of resected specimens, and shorter distance between tumor and resection line than the other-sites group (n = 150), but the complication rates were not different between the groups (38.0% vs. 34.1%, P = 0.719). After a median follow-up period of 3.0 years (range, 0.3-16.2 years), the median overall survivals were 6.5 (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.3-7.9) and 7.5 years (95% CI, 6.3-9.7) in the caudate-lobe and other-site groups, respectively (P = 0.430). Median recurrence-free survivals in the caudate-lobe group (1.9 years; 95% CI, 1.4-2.7) had a tendency to be shorter than those in the other-sites group (2.3 years; 1.7-3.4) (P = 0.052).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients' survival and complication rates in the caudate-lobe group were comparable to those in the other-sites group; therefore, our algorithm for resecting HCC in the caudate lobe is of clinical use.

Salvage living donor liver transplantation versus repeat liver resection for patients with recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma and Child-Pugh class A liver cirrhosis: A propensity score-matched comparison

Following curative liver resection (LR), resectable tumor recurrence in patients with preserved liver function leads to deciding between a repeat LR and a salvage liver transplantation (LT), if a donor's liver is available. This retrospective study compared survival outcomes and recurrence pattern following salvage living donor LT (LDLT) and repeat LR in patients with recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent repeat LR (n = 163) or LDLT (n = 84) for recurrent HCC following curative resections, between January 2005 and December 2017 at a single institution. A 1:1 propensity score matching led to 42 patients per group. Disease-specific and recurrence-free survival were significantly better in the salvage LDLT group than in the repeat LR group (p = .042; HR = 2.40; 95% CI, 0.69-6.00 and p < .001; HR = 4.23; 95% CI, 2.05-8.71, respectively). Despite significant differences in recurrence patterns between the two groups (p = .019), the patient death rates, after recurrence, were similar for both groups (p = .760). This study indicates that salvage LDLT is superior to repeat LR for treating patients with transplantable, intrahepatic HCC recurrence, even in patients with Child-Pugh class A liver cirrhosis.

Prognostic Impact of Lymphocyte-C-Reactive Protein Ratio in Patients Who Underwent Surgical Resection for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Systemic inflammation-related factors, either independently or in combination, are recognized as prognostic factors for various cancers. The ratio of lymphocyte count to C-reactive protein concentration (lymphocyte-CRP ratio; LCR) is a recently identified prognostic marker for several cancers. Here, we examined the prognostic value of the LCR in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

This was a single-center retrospective study of patients who underwent surgical resection for HCC between 2004 and 2017. Patients were divided into high- and low-LCR status groups, and the relationships between LCR status, prognosis, and other clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 454 patients with HCC were enrolled and assigned to the high- (n=245) or low- (n=209) LCR groups. Compared with the high-LCR group, patients in the low-LCR group had a significantly lower serum albumin level (median 4.1 vs. 3.9 g/dL, P <0.0001), lower platelet count (median 14.0 vs. 12.0 ×10⁴/μL, P=0.0468), lower prothrombin time (median 93.2 vs. 89.6 %, P=0.0006), and larger tumor size (median 2.3 vs. 2.5 cm, P=0.0056). Patients with low-LCR status had significantly worse outcomes of overall survival and disease-free survival than patients with high-LCR status (P=0.0003 and P=0.0069, respectively). Low-LCR status was significantly associated with worse overall survival in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio 1.57, 95% confidence interval 1.14-2.17, P=0.0058).

CONCLUSIONS

Low-LCR status may predict worse outcomes in patients with HCC. Measurement of LCR is routine and can easily be applied for risk stratification in the assessment of patients with HCC.

Does intraoperative and postoperative analgesia cause bile leakage after hepatectomy?

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effect of morphine or morphine equivalents on the risk of bile leakage (BL) after hepatectomy.

METHODS

The subjects of this retrospective study were 379 patients who underwent hepatectomy without biliary reconstruction and biliary decompression tube insertion at Gunma University between 2016 and 2020. Clinical BL was defined as International Study Group of Liver Surgery post-hepatectomy bile leakage Grade B or C.

RESULTS

Intra- and post-operative analgesia comprised intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA) with fentanyl (n = 58), epidural analgesia with fentanyl (n = 157), epidural analgesia with morphine (n = 151), and epidural analgesia with ropivacaine or levobupivacaine (n = 13). Clinical BL was diagnosed in 14 of the 379 (3.7%) patients. The significant risk factors for clinical BL were hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), elevated serum total bilirubin, high indocyanine green retention at 15 min, elevated Mac-2-binding protein glycosylated isomer, prolonged duration of surgery, and a large volume of blood loss. There was no significant correlation of clinical BL with intra- and post-operative analgesia and total oral morphine equivalents.

CONCLUSION

Intra- and post-operative IV-PCA and epidural analgesia were not related to clinical BL after hepatectomy. Based on our data, fentanyl and morphine can be administered safely as epidural or intravenous analgesic agents.

Continuous improvements in short and long-term outcomes after partial hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma in the 21st century: Single institution experience with 1300 resections over 18 years

INTRODUCTION

To investigate the changing trends in short- and long-term outcomes after partial hepatectomy(PH) for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) performed in the 21st century.

METHODS

A retrospective review was conducted on 1300 consecutive patients who underwent PH for HCC. The study cohort was divided into 3 time periods(P): P1(2000-2005), P2(2006-2011) and P3(20012-2017).

RESULTS

Comparison between the patients' baseline demographic features across the 3 periods demonstrated that patients were significantly older, had decreasing frequency of hepatitis B, increasing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, lower alpha-feto protein(AFP) level, lower creatinine levels, less likely to undergo emergency surgery, less likely to undergo major hepatectomy, more likely to undergo repeat resection and minimally-invasive surgery. There was also an increase in operation time, decrease in blood loss, increase frequency in the use of Pringles manoeuvre, decrease liver failure, decrease length of stay and decrease postoperative mortality. HCC resected were of smaller size, less likely to demonstrate microvascular invasion and less likely to have close margins. This was associated with significant improvement in overall survival and recurrence free interval over time. Period of resection was an independent predictor of 90-day mortality and OS on multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSION

We observed a continuous improvement in postoperative outcomes including postoperative mortality and long-term survival after PH for HCC over the past 18 years.

Surgical Treatments of Hepatobiliary Cancers

Hepatobiliary cancers which include hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and biliary tract cancers (i.e., cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder carcinoma) are associated with significant morbidity and mortality based on the stage of the disease at presentation. With improved screening for hepatobiliary malignancies in patients with risk factors and with widespread use of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, hepatobiliary malignancies, including incidental diagnosis of gallbladder carcinoma, are on the rise. Definitive treatment of hepatobiliary malignancies include surgical resection, ablation, and liver transplantation. However, management of these cancers is challenging due to the complex hepatobiliary anatomy and the need for meticulous perioperative management especially in patients with advanced liver disease. The management and prognosis of hepatobiliary malignancies vary widely based on the stage of presentation, with surgical options providing the possibility of definitive cure in patients presenting with early-stage disease. Surgical resection for HCC results in good outcomes if performed in ideal candidates. For patients with early HCC who are not candidates for surgical resection, ablation and liver transplantation should be considered. Similarly, surgical resection is also the definitive treatment for biliary tract cancers, and liver transplantation can be curative in selected patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. The role of routine adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy is not clearly established, but adjuvant therapies can offer better outcomes in patients with advanced disease at presentation. Outcomes of surgical management of hepatobiliary cancers seem to be improving. Given the complex decision-making process involved, multidisciplinary evaluation is essential to provide and coordinate the best treatments for these patients.

Risk factors for bile leakage: Latest analysis of 10 102 hepatectomies for hepatocellular carcinoma from the Japanese national clinical database

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for bile leakage in hepatic resections without biliary reconstructions using the large Japanese national clinical database (NCD).

METHODS

A total of 10 102 patients who had undergone hepatic resection involving more than one segment without biliary reconstructions for hepatocellular carcinoma during 2015-2017 were enrolled. Risk factors for bile leakage, with special reference to the type of hepatic resection, were identified by multivariable logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

Bile leakage occurred in 726 patients (7.2%). Risk factors for bile leakage were as follows: male sex (odds ratio [OR] 1.28, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-1.58), diabetes mellitus (+) (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.01-1.39), hemoglobin <10 g/dL (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.02-1.93), albumin <3.5 g/dL (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.03-1.63), central bisectionectomy (OR 3.8, 95% CI 2.81-5.13), left trisectionectomy (OR 3.6, 95% CI 2.10-6.15), right anterior sectionectomy (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.58-2.72), and S5 or S8 segmentectomy (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.00-1.77).

CONCLUSION

Central bisectionectomy, left trisectionectomy, and right anterior sectionectomy are high-risk types of hepatic resection for bile leakage.

Combined liver and multivisceral resections: A comparative analysis of short and long-term outcomes

BACKGROUND

En bloc liver and adjacent organs resections are technically demanding procedures. Few case series and nonmatched comparative studies reported the outcomes of multivisceral liver resections (MLRs).

OBJECTIVES

To compare the short and long-term outcomes of patients submitted MLRs with those submitted to isolated hepatectomies.

METHODS

From a prospective database, a case-matched 1:2 study was performed comparing MLRs and isolated hepatectomy. Additionally, a risk analysis was performed to evaluate the association between MLRs and perioperative morbidity, mortality, and long-term survival.

RESULTS

Fifty-three MLRs were compared with 106 matched controls. Patients undergoing MLRs had longer operative time (430 [320-525] vs 360 [270-440] minutes, P = .005); higher estimated blood loss (600 [400-800] vs 400 [100-600] mL; P = .011); longer hospital stay (8 [6-14] vs 7 [5-9] days; P = .003); and higher postoperative mortality (9.4% vs 1.9%, P = .042). Number of resected organs was not an independent prognostic factor for perioperative major complications (odds ratio [OR], 1 organ = 1.8 [0.54-6.05]; OR ≥ 2, organs = 4.0 [0.35-13.84]) or perioperative mortality (OR, 1, organ = 5.2 [0.91-29.51]; OR ≥ 2, organs = 6.5 [0.52-79.60]). No differences in overall (P = .771) and disease-free survival (P = .28) were observed.

CONCLUSION

MLRs are feasible with acceptable morbidity but relatively high perioperative mortality. MLRs did not negatively affect long-term outcomes.

Prognostic nutritional index is superior as a predictor of prognosis among various inflammation-based prognostic scores in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after curative resection

AIM

There is increasing evidence that inflammation-based prognostic scores are stage-independent predictors of poor outcome in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, these findings were observed in a small-sized study comparing the prognostic value of these scores for patients after curative resection for HCC.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 717 consecutive patients with HCC who underwent curative liver resection at Hiroshima Red Cross Hospital & Atomic Bomb Survivors Hospital. Clinicopathological variables including preoperative inflammation-based prognostic scores, such as neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, Controlling Nutritional Status score, prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and Glasgow Prognostic Score were analyzed. The prognostic value of these scores was compared by the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve analyses.

RESULTS

The integrate area under the curve of PNI, Controlling Nutritional Status score, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, and Glasgow Prognostic Score were 0.6751, 0.6435, 0.5845, 0.5276, and 0.5351 for overall survival (OS), respectively, and 0.5955, 0.5694, 0.4692, 0.4873, and 0.5272 for disease-free survival, respectively. Multivariate analyses for prognosis factor in HCC patients showed that PNI was an independent predictor of both OS (HR 0.91, P < 0.001) and disease-free survival (HR 0.94, P < 0.001). When the patients were divided into high and low PNI groups, the patients in the low PNI group had significant poorer OS (P < 0.001) and disease-free survival (P < 0.001), even after background factors were matched between these two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

PNI is superior to Controlling Nutritional Status score, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, or Glasgow Prognostic Score as a predictor of OS and recurrence-free survival in patients with HCC who underwent curative hepatic resection.

Improved hemostasis with major hepatic resection in the current surgical era

BACKGROUND

Major hepatic resection, predominantly performed for oncologic intent, is a complex procedure with the potential for severe intraoperative hemorrhage. The current surgical era has the ability to improve hemostasis throughout the performance of major hepatic resections which decreases blood transfusions and the detrimental effects associated with transfusion. We evaluated hemostasis and outcomes in the current surgical era of performing hepatic resections.

METHODS

Utilizing the American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database all major hepatic resections performed between 2012 and 2016 were analyzed in regards to hemostasis. Hemostasis was evaluated by the need for and magnitude of blood transfusions. Additional perioperative variables (including operative time, length of hospital stay, and mortality rates) were analyzed to assess for outcomes with hemostasis. The NSQIP results were compared to previous publications involving major hepatic resections to detect improvement in hemostasis and outcomes in the current surgical era.

RESULTS

A total of 22777 major hepatic resections met the inclusion criteria for analysis in the NSQIP database. An additional 21198 cases were compiled within the selected publications for comparative analysis. The transfusion rate in the current surgical era was 13.3% versus 38.7% in the previous era (P = 0.0001). When a transfusion was required in the current surgical era there was a two-fold reduction in the number of units transfused (1.5 U vs. 3.8 U, P = 0.0001). Statistically significant improvements in operative time and length of hospital stay were presented within the current surgical era (P = 0.0001). When a transfusion was required there was an increased relative risk score of 7 for mortality (4.9% vs. 0.7%, P = 0.0001), however, improvement in mortality rates did not reach statistical significance across surgical eras (1.3% vs. 4.0%, P = 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

The conduction of major hepatic resection in the current surgical era is more hemostatic. Correlated with improved hemostasis are better outcomes for both clinical and financial endpoints. These findings should encourage continued and increased performance of major hepatic resections.

Laparoscopic hepatectomy versus radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Aim: To compare the effectiveness of laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) with that of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: We conducted a literature search without a language restriction to identify relevant available articles that had been published with the EMBASE and PubMed databases and the Cochrane Library. Studies comparing the outcomes of LH versus RFA for HCC were eligible for inclusion. Results: A total of 10 studies with 1570 patients was included in this meta-analysis. The pooled results revealed that LH was superior to RFA in terms of the 5-year overall survival rate (OR=0.53, 95% CI=0.40, 0.69, p<0.001). In the subgroup analysis of small HCCs, there was still a significantly better 5-year overall survival rate in the LH group compared with the RFA group (OR=0.47, 95% CI=0.33, 0.66, p<0.001). Additionally, the LH group had better 1- and 3-year disease-free survival rate and a lower local recurrence rate, compared with the RFA group. However, the complication rate was higher in the LH group than the RFA group (OR=0.64, 95% CI=0.46, 0.89, p=0.008). Conclusion: Patients who underwent LH had a better long-term prognosis and a lower recurrence rate than those who received RFA. However, we did not obtain conclusive evidence for the superiority of LH over RFA for the treatment of HCCs due to the inclusion of retrospective studies in the present meta-analysis, and well-designed RCTs are needed.

Multimodal radiofrequency ablation versus laparoscopic hepatic resection for the treatment of primary hepatocellular carcinoma within Milan criteria in severely cirrhotic patients: long-term favorable outcomes over 10 years

BACKGROUND

Less invasiveness is an important consideration for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) especially in patients with severe cirrhosis.

METHODS

Between April 2000 and September 2016, 100 patients with liver damage B underwent multimodal radiofrequency ablation (RFA; n = 62) or laparoscopic hepatic resection (Lap-HR; n = 38) for primary HCC as defined by the Milan criteria. We compared the operative outcomes and patients' survival between the two groups.

RESULTS

The RFA group showed worse liver functions as indicated by indocyanine green retention rate (32.9 vs. 22.4%; p < 0.0001) and serum albumin value (3.3 vs. 3.6 g/dl; p = 0.0029). As expected, RFA was less invasive, as indicated by the differences in operation time (166 vs. 288 min.; p < 0.0001) and blood loss (8 vs. 377 g; p < 0.0001). There was no significant difference in the morbidity rate between the two groups; however, the duration of hospital stay of the RFA group was significantly shorter (7 vs. 11 days; p = 0.0002). There were no significant between-group differences regarding overall or disease-free survival.

CONCLUSION

Multimodal RFA for HCC in patients with severe cirrhosis is associated with less invasiveness and shorter hospital stays, with no compromise in the patients' survival. In patients with severe cirrhosis, it may be time to consider changing the standard treatment for primary HCC within the Milan criteria to multimodal RFA.

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.

Primary Malignancy is an Independent Determinant of Morbidity and Mortality after Liver Resection

Although outcomes after liver resection have improved, there remains considerable perioperative morbidity and mortality with these procedures. Studies suggest a primary liver cancer diagnosis is associated with poorer outcomes, but the extent to which this is attributable to a higher degree of hepatic dysfunction is unclear. To better delineate this, we performed a matched pair analysis of primary versus metastatic malignancies using a national database. The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (2005–2013) was analyzed to select elective liver resections. Diagnoses were sorted as follows: 1) primary liver cancers and 2) metastatic neoplasms. A literature review identified factors known to impact hepatectomy outcomes; these variables were evaluated by a univariate analysis. The most predictive factors were used to create similar groups from each diagnosis category via propensity matching. Multivariate regression was used to validate results in the wider study population. Outcomes were compared using chi-squared test and Fisher exact test. Matched groups of 4838 patients were similar by all variables, including indicators of liver function. A number of major complications were significantly more prevalent with a primary diagnosis; overall major morbidity rates in the metastatic and primary groups were 29.3 versus 41.6 per cent, respectively. The mortality rate for primary neoplasms was 4.6 per cent (vs 1.6%); this represents a risk of death nearly three-times greater (95% confidence interval = 2.20–3.81, P < 0.0001) in cancers of hepatic origin. Hepatectomy carries substantially higher perioperative risk when performed for primary liver cancers, independent of hepatic function and resection extent. This knowledge will help to improve treatment planning, patient education, and resource allocation in oncologic liver resection.

Prophylactic liver transplantation for high-risk recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second most common cause of cancer-related death in the world. Radical treatment of HCC in early stages results in a long disease-free period and improved overall survival. The choice of optimal management strategy for HCC mainly depends on the severity of the underlying liver disease. For patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis and HCC within Milan criteria (MC), liver transplant (LT) is the choice of treatment. However, for patients with good residual liver reserve and HCC within MC, selection of other curative treatments such as liver resection (LR) or radiofrequency ablation may be a reasonable alternative. For patients without cirrhosis, LR can result in an overall survival similar to that provided by LT. Therefore, it is an accepted alternative to LT especially in areas with organ shortage. However, the cumulative 5-year recurrence rate of HCC post LR might be as high as 70%. For initial transplant-eligible (within MC) patients with recurrent HCC post LR, salvage liver transplant (SLT) was first proposed in 2000. However, most patients with recurrent HCC considered for SLT are untransplantable cases due to HCC recurrence beyond MC or comorbidity. Thus, the strategy of opting for SLT results in the loss of the opportunity of LT for these patients. Some authors proposed the concept of “de principe liver transplant” (i.e., prophylactic LT before HCC recurrence) to prevent losing the chance of LT for these potential candidates. Factors associated with the failure of SLT will be dissected and discussed in three parts: Patient, tumor, and underlying liver disease. Regarding patient-related factors, the rate of transplantability depends on patient compliance. Patients without regular follow-up tend to develop HCC recurrence beyond MC at the time of tumor detection. Advancing age is another factor related to severe comorbidities when LT is considered for HCC recurrence, and these elderly candidates become ineligible as time goes by. Regarding tumor-related factors, histopathological features of the resected specimen are used mostly for determining the prognosis of early HCC recurrences. Such prognostic factors include the presence of microvascular invasion, poor tumor differentiation, the presence of microsatellites, the presence of multiple tumors, and the presence of the gene-expressing signature associated with aggressive HCC. These prognostic factors might be used as a selection tool for SLT or prophylactic LT, while remaining mindful of the fact that most of them are also prognostic factors for post-transplant HCC recurrence. Regarding underlying liver disease-related factors, progression of chronic viral hepatitis and high viral load may contribute to the development of late (de novo) HCC recurrence as a consequence of sustained inflammatory reaction. However, correlation between the severity of liver fibrosis and tumor recurrence is still controversial. Some prognostic scoring systems that integrate these three factors have been proposed to predict recurrence patterns after LR for HCC. Theoretically, after excluding patients with high risk of post-transplant HCC recurrence, either by observation of a cancer-free period or by measurement of biological factors (such as alpha fetoprotein), prophylactic LT following curative resection of HCC could be considered for selected patients with high risk of recurrence to provide longer survival.

Liver resection for early hepatocellular cancer: Comparison of centers in 3 different countries

AIM

To compare patients who underwent resection of early stage hepatocellular cancer (HCC) in three different countries.

METHODS

This retrospective study characterizes 573 stage I/II HCC patients treated with liver resection in 3 tertiary-referral centers: Tokyo (n = 250), Honolulu (n = 146) and Shanghai (n = 177).

RESULTS

Shanghai patients were younger, predominantly male, hepatitis-B seropositive (94%) and cirrhotic (93%). Tokyo patients were older and more likely to have hepatitis-C (67%), smaller tumors, low albumin, and normal alpha-fetoprotein. The Honolulu cohort had the largest tumors and 30% had no viral hepatitis. Age-adjusted mortality at 1 and 5-years were lower in the Tokyo cohort compared to Honolulu and there was no difference in mortality between Shanghai and Honolulu cohorts. Elevated alpha-fetoprotein, low albumin and tumor > 5 cm were associated with increased 1-year mortality. These factors and cirrhosis were independently associated with increased 5-year mortality. Independent risk factors of survival varied when examined separately by center.

CONCLUSION

The profile of early-stage HCC patients is strikingly different across countries and likely contributes to survival differences. Underlying differences in patient populations including risk factors/comorbidities influencing disease progression may also account for variation in outcomes.

Hepatic resection for predominantly large size hepatocellular carcinoma: Early and long-term results from a tertiary care center in India

BACKGROUND AND AIM

There are no large series on hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from India. We present the results of consecutive patients of HCC treated with hepatic resection at a tertiary care center in India.

METHODS

The records of all patients who underwent hepatic resection for HCC in the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (New Delhi), were reviewed. The relevant perioperative and follow up data were extracted from a prospectively maintained database.

RESULTS

Between January 1987 and December 2013, 81 patients [71 males; mean age: 49.2 ± 15.6 years] underwent hepatic resection for HCC. Of these, 23 (28 %) were cirrhotic and 36 (49 %) had hepatitis B. Hepatitis B was significantly more common in cirrhotic (77 % vs. 37 %; p = 0.001). Most patients had locally advanced disease at presentation [tumor size ≥10 cm in 61 (75 %); vascular tumor thrombus in 10 (12 %)]. Anatomical resection was done in 61 (75 %) including 56 major hepatic resections (≥3 segments). Overall in-hospital mortality was 13 (16 %) [cirrhotic 5 (22 %) vs. noncirrhotic 8 (14 %), p = 0.503]. Grade III-V complications (modified Clavien-Dindo classification) occurred in 25 (31 %) patients (cirrhotic 48 % vs. noncirrhotic 24 %; p = 0.037). Follow up information was available for 51 (75 %) patients. The median time to recurrence was 12 months, and most (86 %) occurred within 1 year. The recurrence-free survival at 1, 3, and 5 years was 48 %, 40 %, and 36 %, respectively. Positive resection margin and vascular invasion were significantly associated with very poor prognosis.

CONCLUSION

Majority of Indian HCC patients present with locally advanced disease. Despite this, surgical resection provides a chance for long-term recurrence-free survival in a third of them.

The utility of the MELD score in predicting mortality following liver resection for metastasis

BACKGROUND

The MELD score has been demonstrated to be predictive of hepatectomy outcomes in mixed patient samples of primary and secondary liver cancers. Because MELD is a measure of hepatic dysfunction, prior conclusions may rely on the high prevalence of cirrhosis observed with primary lesions. This study aims to evaluate MELD score as a predictor of mortality and develop a risk prediction model for patients specifically undergoing hepatic metastasectomy.

METHODS

ACS-NSQIP 2005-2013 was analyzed to select patients who had undergone liver resections for metastases. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis determined the MELD score most associated with 30-day mortality. A literature review identified variables that impact hepatectomy outcomes. Significant factors were included in a multivariable analysis (MVA). A risk calculator was derived from the final multivariable model.

RESULTS

Among the 14,919 patients assessed, the mortality rate was 2.7%, and the median MELD was 7.3 (range = 34.4). A MELD of 7.24 was identified by ROC (sensitivity = 81%, specificity = 51%, c-statistic = 0.71). Of all patients above this threshold, 4.4% died at 30 days vs. 1.1% in the group ≤7.24. This faction represented 50.1% of the population but accounted for 80.3% of all deaths (p < 0.001). The MVA revealed mortality to be increased 2.6-times (OR = 2.55, 95%CI 1.69-3.84, p < 0.001). A risk calculator was successfully developed and validated.

CONCLUSIONS

MELD>7.24 is an important predictor of death following hepatectomy for metastasis and may prompt a detailed assessment with the provided risk calculator. Attention to MELD in the preoperative setting will improve treatment planning and patient education prior to oncologic liver resection.

A pre-operative clinical model to predict microvascular invasion and long-term outcome after resection of hepatocellular cancer: The Australian experience

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular cancer (HCC) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Liver resection or transplantation offer the best chance of long-term survival. The aim of this study was to perform a survival and prognostic factor analysis on patients who underwent resection of HCC at two major tertiary referral hospitals, and to investigate a pre-operative prediction model for microvascular invasion (MVI).

METHODS

Clinico-pathological and survival data were collected from all patients who underwent liver resection for HCC at two tertiary referral centres (Royal North Shore/North Shore Private Hospitals and Westmead Hospital) from 1998 to 2012. An overall and disease-free survival analysis was performed and a predictive model for MVI identified.

RESULTS

The total number of patients in this series was 125 and the 5-year overall and disease-free survival rates were 56% and 37%, respectively. MVI was the only factor to be independently associated with a poor prognosis on both overall and disease-free survival. Age ≥64 years, a serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) ≥400 ng/ml (×40 above normal) and tumor size ≥50 mm were independently associated with MVI. An MVI prediction model using these three pre-operative factors provides a good assessment of the risk of MVI.

CONCLUSION

MVI in the resected specimen of patients with HCC is associated with a poor prognosis. A preoperative MVI prediction model offers a useful way to identify patients at risk of relapse. However, more precise predictive models using molecular and genetic variables are needed to improve selection of patients most suitable for radical surgical treatment.

Predictors of the Effectiveness of Prophylactic Drains After Hepatic Resection

BACKGROUND

Randomized clinical trials have demonstrated the limited efficacy of prophylactic drains following hepatic resection. However, many surgeons still insist on using prophylactic drains. This study was designed to identify patients who require prophylactic drains to manage or monitor postoperative complications after hepatic resection.

METHODS

Data were retrospectively collected from 316 patients who underwent hepatic resection and received a prophylactic drain. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether the drain was used to manage or monitor the following postoperative complications: bile leakage (prophylactic drains were used to monitor and treat bile leakage) and postoperative hemorrhage (the drainage fluid was macroscopically bloody and required drain fluid blood counts and monitoring to assess the need for transfusion or reoperation). The results were then validated in a separate cohort of 101 patients.

RESULTS

In 25/316 patients (7.9 %), the prophylactic drains were clinically effective, being used to manage bile leakage in 18 patients and hemorrhage in 8. Intraoperative bile leakage (P = 0.021) and long operation time (≥ 360 min) (P = 0.017) were independent predictors of bile leakage. Intraoperative blood loss (≥ 650 ml) (P = 0.0009) was an independent predictor of hemorrhage. In the subsequent 101 patients, prophylactic drains were clinically effective in patients with one of these predictors with sensitivity, specificity, and false-negative rates of 88.9, 62.0, and 1.7 %, respectively.

CONCLUSION

A prophylactic drain should be considered following hepatic resection for patients with intraoperative bile leakage, operation time of ≥ 360 min, or blood loss of ≥ 650 ml.

Surgical results for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma after curative hepatectomy: Repeat hepatectomy versus salvage living donor liver transplantation

The aims of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of repeat hepatectomy (Hx) and salvage living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A retrospective cohort study was performed to analyze the surgical results of repeat Hx and salvage LDLT for patients with recurrent HCC within the Milan criteria from 1989 to 2012. A total of 159 patients were divided into 2 groups: a repeat Hx group (n = 146) and a salvage LDLT group (n = 13). Operative results and patient prognoses were compared between the 2 groups. The operative invasiveness, including the operation time (229.1 ± 97.7 versus 862.9 ± 194.4 minutes; P < 0.0001) and blood loss (596.3 ± 764.9 versus 24,690 ± 59,014.4 g; P < 0.0001), were significantly higher in the salvage LDLT group. The early surgical results, such as morbidity (31% versus 62%; P = 0.0111) and the duration of hospital stay (20 ± 22 versus 35 ± 21 days; P = 0.0180), were significantly worse in the salvage LDLT group. There was no significant difference in the overall survival (OS) rate, but the disease-free survival rate of the salvage LDLT group was significantly better (P = 0.0002). The OS rate of patients with grade B liver damage in the repeat Hx group was significantly worse (P < 0.0001), and the 5-year OS rate was quite low, that is, 20% (liver damage A, 77% for the repeat Hx group and 75% for the salvage LDLT group). The prognosis of patients with grade B liver damage after repeat Hx for recurrent HCC is poor, and salvage LDLT would be a potent option for such patients.

Long-term favorable surgical results of laparoscopic hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhosis: a single-center experience over a 10-year period

BACKGROUND

We first performed laparoscopic hepatic resection (Lap-Hx) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in 1994. Here we review the long-term surgical results of Lap-Hx for HCC in patients with cirrhosis over a 10-year period at a single institution.

STUDY DESIGN

Between January 2000 and December 2013, 99 patients with cirrhosis underwent open hepatic resection (Open-Hx) and 63 underwent Lap-Hx for primary HCC within the Milan criteria. We compared the operative outcomes and patient survival between the 2 groups.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences regarding patient background characteristics or tumor-related factors between the 2 groups. The morbidity rate of the Lap-Hx group was significantly lower than that of the Open-Hx group (26% vs 10%; p = 0.0459), and the complication rate of ascites was significantly lower (7% vs 0%; p = 0.0077). The mean duration of hospital stay of the Lap-Hx group was significantly shorter than that of the Open-Hx group (16 vs 10 days; p = 0.0008). There were no significant between-group differences regarding overall or disease-free survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Laparoscopic-Hx for HCC in patients with cirrhosis is associated with less morbidity and shorter hospital stays, with no compromise in patient survival. It may be time to consider changing the standard operation for primary HCC within the Milan criteria to Lap-Hx in patients with cirrhosis.