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Qurashi M, Sharma R. Improving hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance in the United Kingdom: challenges and solutions. THE LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. EUROPE 2024; 43:100963. [PMID: 38946891 PMCID: PMC11211981 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2024.100963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prognosis remains dismal due to late-stage diagnosis; surveillance has been demonstrated to increase early diagnosis rates and receipt of curative treatment. Acknowledging limitations in the evidence base for HCC surveillance, international professional bodies reiterate the recommendation for biannual HCC surveillance and NHS England supports measures aimed to increase surveillance uptake. The current ad hoc provision of HCC surveillance is prone to failures, evident by low surveillance uptake and high numbers of patients being diagnosed outside of surveillance. We discuss challenges related to HCC surveillance in the UK and potential solutions to addressing them. We highlight the requirements of a consistent and effective national surveillance process, and suggest pathways on how this can be achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Qurashi
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 0HS, UK
| | - Rohini Sharma
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 0HS, UK
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2
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Kim A, Park G, Goh MJ, Song BG, Kang W, Gwak GY, Paik YH, Choi MS, Lee JH, Sinn DH. Hepatocellular carcinoma outcomes and potential implications for surveillance in elderly patients. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15418. [PMID: 38965335 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66253-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
International liver societies recommend hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance for those at high-risk of developing HCC. While previous studies have shown the benefits of surveillance for middle-aged patients, but its necessity for elderly patients is unclear. This study aimed to assess the benefits of HCC surveillance in the elderly by comparing diagnosis mode of HCC. Consecutive, elderly patients aged 75 years or older who were newly diagnosed with HCC were screened at our institution between January 2009 and December 2021. Patients were grouped into those who were diagnosed with HCC during surveillance (n = 235, surveillance group) and those who were diagnosed with HCC due to symptoms (n = 184, symptomatic group). The study outcome was overall survival. It was compared in the overall cohort and a propensity score (PS)-matched cohort. Early-stage diagnosis was more frequent in the surveillance group than in the symptomatic group (mUICC stage I/II: 72.3% vs. 39.1%, p < 0.001). The overall survival rate was better in the surveillance group than in the symptomatic group (median 4.4 vs. 2.1 years, log-rank p < 0.001). In multivariable-adjusted models, the hazard ratio (HR) of mortality of the surveillance group compared to the symptomatic group was 0.64 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.47-0.87). However, further adjustment for the tumor stage markedly attenuated this association, which was no longer statistically significant (adjusted HR = 0.75; 95% CI: 0.54-1.02). In the PS-matched cohort analysis, outcomes were similar when the PS matching variables included the tumor stage. In contrast, when PS matching variables did not include the tumor stage, outcomes were better for the surveillance group. The surveillance group of elderly patients showed better survival than the symptomatic group, which was largely explained by earlier tumor stage at diagnosis. This suggests that the overall outcome of elderly HCC patients could be improved by increasing surveillance-detected cases compared to symptom-driven cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aryoung Kim
- Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, 06351, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital, Goyang, Korea
| | - Goeun Park
- Research Institute for Future Medicine, Biomedical Statistics Center, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Myung Ji Goh
- Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, 06351, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Byeong Geun Song
- Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, 06351, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Wonseok Kang
- Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, 06351, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Geum-Youn Gwak
- Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, 06351, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yong-Han Paik
- Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, 06351, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Moon Seok Choi
- Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, 06351, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Joon Hyeok Lee
- Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, 06351, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Dong Hyun Sinn
- Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, 06351, Seoul, South Korea.
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Yang J, Yang Z, Zeng X, Yu S, Gao L, Jiang Y, Sun F. Benefits and harms of screening for hepatocellular carcinoma in high-risk populations: systematic review and meta-analysis. JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL CANCER CENTER 2023; 3:175-185. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jncc.2023.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
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4
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Papageorge MV, de Geus SWL, Woods AP, Ng SC, Lee S, McAneny D, Tseng JF, Kenzik KM, Sachs TE. Surveillance Patterns for Hepatocellular Carcinoma among Screening-Eligible Patients in the Medicare Population. Ann Surg Oncol 2022; 29:8424-8431. [PMID: 36057903 DOI: 10.1245/s10434-022-12360-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Routine screening plays a critical role in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but not all patients undergo consistent surveillance. This study aims to evaluate surveillance patterns and their association with diagnosis stage and survival among Medicare patients at risk for HCC. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with HCC and guideline-based screening eligibility who underwent imaging with ultrasound or abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the 2 years prior to diagnosis were identified from SEER-Medicare (2008-2015). Three surveillance cohorts were created: diagnostic (imaging only within 3 months prior), intermittent (imaging only once within 2 years prior, excluding diagnostic), and routine (at least two imaging encounters within 2 years prior, excluding diagnostic). Multivariable logistic regression was used to predict early-stage diagnosis (stage I-II), and 5-year survival was evaluated using the accelerated failure time method with Weibull distribution. RESULTS Among 2261 eligible patients, 26.1% were classified as diagnostic, 15.8% as intermittent, and 58.1% as routine surveillance. The median age was 74 years (IQR 70-78 years). The majority of patients had a preexisting cirrhosis diagnosis (81.5%). Routine and intermittent, compared with diagnostic, surveillance were predictive of early-stage disease (routine: OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.64-2.56; intermittent: OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.07-1.90). Patients who underwent routine surveillance had significantly lower risk of mortality (HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.75-0.94) compared with the diagnostic group. CONCLUSIONS A large proportion of screening-eligible patients do not undergo routine surveillance, which is associated with late-stage diagnosis and higher risk of mortality. These findings demonstrate the impact of timely and consistent healthcare access and can guide interventions for promoting surveillance among these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianna V Papageorge
- Department of Surgery, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medical, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Susanna W L de Geus
- Department of Surgery, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medical, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alison P Woods
- Department of Surgery, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medical, Boston, MA, USA.,Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sing Chau Ng
- Department of Surgery, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medical, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - David McAneny
- Department of Surgery, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medical, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jennifer F Tseng
- Department of Surgery, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medical, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kelly M Kenzik
- Department of Surgery, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medical, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Teviah E Sachs
- Department of Surgery, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medical, Boston, MA, USA.
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Singal AG, Haaland B, Parikh ND, Ozbay AB, Kirshner C, Chakankar S, Porter K, Chhatwal J, Ayer T. Comparison of a multitarget blood test to ultrasound and alpha-fetoprotein for hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance: Results of a network meta-analysis. Hepatol Commun 2022; 6:2925-2936. [PMID: 35945907 PMCID: PMC9512471 DOI: 10.1002/hep4.2045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Ultrasound‐based surveillance has suboptimal sensitivity for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with cirrhosis. There are several emerging alternatives, including a novel multitarget HCC blood test (Mt‐HBT). We compared performance of mt‐HBT against ultrasound with or without alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP) for early HCC detection in patients with cirrhosis. Per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, two reviewers searched PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and clinicaltrials.gov databases from January 1990 through December 2020 to identify studies reporting sensitivity and/or specificity of ultrasound and AFP for overall and early stage HCC detection in patients with cirrhosis. Mt‐HBT diagnostic performance was derived from a clinical validation study. A network meta‐analysis model was built for comparative assessment, and pooled estimates of sensitivity at a fixed specificity were estimated based on Bayesian binormal receiver operating characteristic models for each modality. Forty‐one studies (comprising 62,517 patients with cirrhosis) met inclusion criteria. Ultrasound‐alone sensitivity was 51.6% (95% credible interval [CrI], 43.3%–60.5%) for early stage HCC detection, which increased with the addition of AFP to 74.1% (95% CrI, 62.6%–82.4%); however, this was offset by decreased specificity (87.9% vs. 83.9%, respectively). With specificity fixed at 90%, mt‐HBT sensitivity for early stage HCC detection was higher than ultrasound alone (18.2%; 95% CrI, 0.2%–37.7%) and similar to ultrasound with AFP (−3.3%; 95% CrI, −22.3%–17.4%). Pairwise posterior probabilities suggested a preference for mt‐HBT over ultrasound alone in 97.4% of cases but only 36.3% of cases versus ultrasound with AFP. Conclusion: A blood‐based mt‐HBT has higher sensitivity than ultrasound alone for early stage HCC detection but similar sensitivity compared to ultrasound and AFP. Mt‐HBT could be a comparable alternative to existing methods for HCC surveillance in patients who are at risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit G Singal
- Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Benjamin Haaland
- University of Utah School of Medicine and Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Neehar D Parikh
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | | | | | | | - Kyle Porter
- Exact Sciences Corporation, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Jagpreet Chhatwal
- Institute for Technology Assessment, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Turgay Ayer
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Emory Medical School, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Trevisani F, Giannini EG. The ITA.LI.CA Consortium: How multicentre collaboration helped shape the management of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma on the basis of real-world evidence. Ann Hepatol 2022; 27 Suppl 1:100564. [PMID: 34688886 DOI: 10.1016/j.aohep.2021.100564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The growing diffusion of digitalisation and informatics has promoted the creation and analysis of large databases able to provide solid information. Analyses of "big data" generated by real-world practice are particularly useful for knowing incidence and mortality, disparities, temporal trends of diseases, identifying risk factors, predicting future scenarios, obtaining inputs for cost-effectiveness and treatment benefit modelling, designing new studies, and monitoring rare diseases. Although randomised controlled trials (RCTs) represent the gold-standard for generating evidence about new diagnostic, preventive or therapeutic procedures, their results should be integrated with real-world data to personalise patient management. Indeed, a substantial proportion of patients observed in field-practice have characteristics that prevent the access to RCTs or, when included, form sub-groups too small to provide robust post-hoc analyses. Furthermore, as RCTs are resource-consuming and designed to maximize the probability of success, they are generally performed in expert centres of high-income areas, excluding economically-deprived regions which could complementarily contribute to the medical progress as huge sources of real-world data. These considerations fuelled the creation in 1998 of the Italian Liver Cancer (ITA.LI.CA) consortium, with the aim to merge data of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) managed in several centres. This cooperation permitted to analyse a multicentre, large cohort of HCC patients. Since then, the ITA.LI.CA group has progressively expanded to currently include 24 centres, and its database counts more than 9,000 patients. This article describes the history of the ITA.LI.CA consortium and presents its scientific production whose results greatly contributed to the incessant improvement of HCC management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franco Trevisani
- Medical Semeiotics Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Italy; IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Edoardo G Giannini
- Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
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Alqahtani SA, Schattenberg JM. NAFLD in the Elderly. Clin Interv Aging 2021; 16:1633-1649. [PMID: 34548787 PMCID: PMC8448161 DOI: 10.2147/cia.s295524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an increasingly prevalent disease globally. Current estimates are that 24% of the adult population, thus, one billion individuals worldwide, are affected. Interestingly, the prevalence of fatty liver seems to peak between 40─50 years of age in males and 60─69 years in females, often slightly decreasing in older (>70 years) cohorts. Furthermore, several risk factors for NAFLD development, such as hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and obesity are higher in older adults. The diagnosis and management strategies in older adults are sometimes challenging, and certain age-specific factors have to be taken into account by healthcare professionals. In this review, we provide an overview of considerations relevant to the management and diagnosis of NAFLD in older adults (age >65 years) and discuss the types of pharmacological interventions available for the management of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in the aging population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saleh A Alqahtani
- Liver Transplantation Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.,Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jörn M Schattenberg
- Metabolic Liver Research Program, I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Center, Mainz, Germany
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8
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Xing H, Liang L, Wang H, Zhou YH, Pei YL, Li C, Zeng YY, Gu WM, Chen TH, Li J, Zhang YM, Wang MD, Zhang WG, Pawlik TM, Lau WY, Shen F, Wu MC, Yang T. Multicenter analysis of long-term oncologic outcomes of hepatectomy for elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. HPB (Oxford) 2020; 22:1314-1323. [PMID: 31980306 DOI: 10.1016/j.hpb.2019.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2019] [Revised: 10/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aging of the population and prolonged life expectancy have significantly increased the number of elderly patients undergoing hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, potential benefits, especially long-term oncologic outcomes of hepatectomy for elderly patients with HCC remain unclear. METHOD Patients treated with curative-intent hepatectomy for HCC in 8 Chinese hospitals were enrolled. Patients were divided into the elderly (≥70 years old) and younger (<70 years old) groups. Overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and time-to-recurrence (TTR) were compared. Risk factors of CSS and TTR were evaluated by univariable and multivariable competing-risk regression analyses. RESULTS Of 2134 patients, 259 (12.1%) and 1875 (87.9%) were elderly and younger aged, respectively. Postoperative 30-day and 90-day mortality was comparable among elderly and younger patients. Compared with younger patients, the elderly had a worse 5-year OS (49.4% vs. 55.3%, P = 0.032), yet a better 5-year CCS (74.5% vs. 61.0%, P = 0.005) and a lower 5-year TTR (33.7% vs. 44.9%, P < 0.001), respectively. Multivariable analyses identified that elder age was independently associated with more favorable CSS (HR 0.74, 95%CI 0.58-0.90, P = 0.011) and TTR (0.69, 0.53-0.88, P < 0.001) but was not associated with OS (P = 0.136). CONCLUSIONS Age by itself is not a contraindication to surgery, and selected elderly patients with HCC can benefit from hepatectomy. Compared with younger patients, elderly patients have noninferior oncologic outcomes following hepatectomy for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Xing
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Liang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hong Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Liuyang People's Hospital, Hunan, China
| | - Ya-Hao Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Pu'er People's Hospital, Yunnan, China
| | - You-Liang Pei
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chao Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yong-Yi Zeng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fujian, China
| | - Wei-Min Gu
- The First Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Hospital of Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Ting-Hao Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Ziyang First People's Hospital, Sichuan, China
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fuyang People's Hospital, Anhui, China
| | - Yao-Ming Zhang
- The 2(nd) Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Meizhou People's Hospital, Guangdong, China
| | - Ming-Da Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wan-Guang Zhang
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Timothy M Pawlik
- Department of Surgery, Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Wan Yee Lau
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China; Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China
| | - Feng Shen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Meng-Chao Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tian Yang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
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9
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Chen ZL, Zhang CW, Liang L, Wu H, Zhang WG, Zeng YY, Gu WM, Chen TH, Li J, Zhang YM, Wang H, Zhou YH, Li C, Diao YK, Lau WY, Wu MC, Shen F, Yang T, Liang YJ. Major Hepatectomy in Elderly Patients with Large Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Multicenter Retrospective Observational Study. Cancer Manag Res 2020; 12:5607-5618. [PMID: 32753973 PMCID: PMC7358072 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s258150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Background With an increase in life expectancy and improvement of surgical safety, more elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), even with large tumors, are now considered for hepatectomy. This study aimed to clarify the impact of age on short- and long-term outcomes after major hepatectomy (≥3 segments) for large HCC (≥5 cm). Patients and Methods Using a multicenter database, patients who underwent curative-intent major hepatectomy for large HCC between 2006 and 2016 were identified. Postoperative morbidity and mortality, overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were compared between the elderly (≥65 years) and younger (<65 years) patients. Univariable and multivariable Cox-regression analyses were performed to identify the risk factors of OS and RFS in the entire and elderly cohorts, respectively. Results Of 830 patients, 92 (11.1%) and 738 (88.9%) were elderly and younger patients, respectively. There were no significant differences in postoperative 30-day mortality and morbidity between the two groups (5.4% vs 2.6% and 43.5% vs 38.3%, both P>0.05). The 5-year OS and RFS rates in elderly patients were also comparable to younger patients (35.0% vs 33.2% and 20.0% vs 20.8%, both P>0.05). In the entire cohort, multivariable Cox-regression analyses identified that old age was not independently associated with OS and RFS. However, in the elderly cohort, preoperative alpha-fetoprotein level >400 μg/L, multiple tumors, macrovascular invasion and microvascular invasion were independently associated with decreased OS and RFS. Conclusion Carefully selected elderly patients benefited from major hepatectomy for large HCC as much as younger patients, and their long-term prognosis was determined by preoperative alpha-fetoprotein level, tumor number and presence of macro- or micro-vascular invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng-Liang Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Cheng-Wu Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic and Minimal Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Liang
- Department of Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic and Minimal Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Han Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital (Navy Medical University), Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Wan-Guang Zhang
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yong-Yi Zeng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fujian, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei-Min Gu
- The First Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Hospital of Harbin, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Ting-Hao Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Ziyang First People's Hospital, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fuyang People's Hospital, Anhui, People's Republic of China
| | - Yao-Ming Zhang
- The 2nd Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Meizhou People's Hospital, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Liuyang People's Hospital, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Ya-Hao Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Pu'er People's Hospital, Yunnan, People's Republic of China
| | - Chao Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic and Minimal Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Yong-Kang Diao
- Department of Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic and Minimal Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Wan Yee Lau
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital (Navy Medical University), Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.,Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, SAR, People's Republic of China
| | - Meng-Chao Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital (Navy Medical University), Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Feng Shen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital (Navy Medical University), Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Tian Yang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital (Navy Medical University), Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying-Jian Liang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
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10
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Tanaka H. Current role of ultrasound in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. J Med Ultrason (2001) 2020; 47:239-255. [PMID: 32170489 PMCID: PMC7181430 DOI: 10.1007/s10396-020-01012-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Ultrasonography (US) is a major, sustainable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance method as it provides inexpensive, real-time, and noninvasive detection. Since US findings are based on pathological features, knowledge of pathological features is essential for delivering a correct US diagnosis. Recent advances in US equipment have made it possible to provide more information, such as malignancy potential and accurate localization diagnosis of HCC. Evaluation of malignancy potential is important to determine the treatment strategy, especially for small HCC. Diagnosis of blood flow dynamics using color Doppler and contrast-enhanced US is one of the most definitive approaches for evaluating HCC malignancy potential. Recently, a new Doppler microvascular imaging technique, superb microvascular imaging, which can detect Doppler signals generated by low-velocity blood flow, was developed. A fusion imaging system, another innovative US technology, has already become an indispensable technology over the last few years not only for US-guided radiofrequency ablation but also for the detection of small, invisible HCC. This article reviews the evidence on the use of ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound with Sonazoid for the practical management of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hironori Tanaka
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Takarazuka Municipal Hospital, 4-5-1 Kohama, Takarazuka, Hyogo, Japan.
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11
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Carrier P, Debette-Gratien M, Jacques J, Loustaud-Ratti V. Cirrhotic patients and older people. World J Hepatol 2019; 11:663-677. [PMID: 31598192 PMCID: PMC6783402 DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v11.i9.663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The global population is aging, and so the number of older cirrhotic patients is increasing. Older patients are characterised by a risk of frailty and comorbidities, and age is a risk factor for mortality in cirrhotic patients. The incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease as an aetiology of cirrhosis is increasing, while that of chronic viral hepatitis is decreasing. Also, cirrhosis is frequently idiopathic. The management of portal hypertension in older cirrhotic patients is similar to that in younger patients, despite the greater risk of treatment-related adverse events of the former. The prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma increases with age, but its treatment is unaffected. Liver transplantation is generally recommended for patients < 70 years of age. Despite the increasing prevalence of cirrhosis in older people, little data are available and few recommendations have been proposed. This review suggests that comorbidities have a considerable impact on older cirrhotic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Carrier
- Fédération d’Hépatologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Dupuytren de Limoges, Limoges 87042, France
- Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie de Limoges, Rue Docteur Marcland, Limoges 87042, France
| | - Marilyne Debette-Gratien
- Fédération d’Hépatologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Dupuytren de Limoges, Limoges 87042, France
- Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie de Limoges, Rue Docteur Marcland, Limoges 87042, France
| | - Jérémie Jacques
- Service de Gastroentérologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Dupuytren de Limoges, Limoges 87042, France
| | - Véronique Loustaud-Ratti
- Fédération d’Hépatologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Dupuytren de Limoges, Limoges 87042, France
- Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie de Limoges, Rue Docteur Marcland, Limoges 87042, France.
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12
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Evaluation of AGP Fucosylation as a Marker for Hepatocellular Carcinoma of Three Different Etiologies. Sci Rep 2019; 9:11580. [PMID: 31399619 PMCID: PMC6689003 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48043-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
A mass spectrometric analysis platform has been developed to determine whether glycosylation patterns of alpha-1 acid glycoprotein (AGP) could be used as a marker for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in different etiologies, i.e. non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), alcoholic liver disease (ALC), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). MALDI-MS profiling of N-glycans of AGP purified from 20 μL of patient serum in HCC (n = 72) and liver cirrhosis (n = 58) showed that a unique trifucosylated tetra-antennary glycan (m/z 3490.76) was predominantly identified in HCCs but was absent in healthy subjects and the majority of cirrhosis patients. Receiver operation characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the trifucosylated N-glycan of AGP (triFc_AGP) could differentiate HCC from cirrhosis with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.707, 0.726 and 0.751 for NASH, ALC and HCV, respectively. When combining triFc_AGP with INR and AFP, the panel had the greatest benefit in detection of NASH-related HCCs, with a significantly improved AUC of 0.882 for all NASH HCCs and 0.818 for early NASH HCCs compared to AFP alone (0.761 and 0.641, respectively). Moreover, triFc_AGP could serve as a potential marker for monitoring AFP-negative HCC patients.
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13
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Simmons OL, Feng Y, Parikh ND, Singal AG. Primary Care Provider Practice Patterns and Barriers to Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2019; 17:766-773. [PMID: 30056183 PMCID: PMC7212522 DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2018.07.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Revised: 07/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Low rates of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance are primarily due to provider-related process failures. However, few studies have evaluated primary care provider (PCP) practice patterns, attitudes, and barriers to HCC surveillance at academic tertiary care referral centers. METHODS We conducted a web-based survey of PCPs at 2 tertiary care referral centers (133 providers) from June 2017 through December 2017. The survey was adapted from pretested surveys and included questions about practice patterns, attitudes, and barriers to HCC surveillance. We used the Fisher exact and Mann-Whitney rank-sum tests to identify factors associated with adherence to HCC surveillance recommendations, for categoric and continuous variables, respectively. RESULTS We obtained a provider-level response rate of 75% and clinic-level response rate of 100% (133 providers). Whereas most PCPs performed HCC surveillance themselves, one-third deferred surveillance to subspecialists and referred patients to a hepatology clinic. Providers believed the combination of ultrasound and α-fetoprotein analysis to be highly effective for early stage tumor detection and reported using the combination for assessment of most patients. However, PCPs were more likely to use computed tomography- or magnetic resonance imaging-based surveillance for patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or decompensated cirrhosis. Most providers believed HCC surveillance to be efficacious for early tumor detection and increasing survival. However, they desired increased high-quality evidence to characterize screening benefits and harms. Providers expressed notable misconceptions about HCC surveillance, including the role for measurement of liver enzyme levels in HCC surveillance and cost effectiveness of surveillance in patients without cirrhosis. They also reported barriers, including not being up to date on HCC surveillance recommendations, limited time in the clinic, and competing clinical concerns. CONCLUSIONS In a web-based survey, PCPs reported misconceptions and barriers to HCC surveillance. This indicates the need for interventions, including provider education, to improve HCC surveillance effectiveness in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Okeefe L. Simmons
- Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Yuan Feng
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Neehar D. Parikh
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Amit G. Singal
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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14
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Inadequate Hepatocellular Carcinoma Screening in Patients With Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Cirrhosis. J Clin Gastroenterol 2019; 53:142-146. [PMID: 29912761 DOI: 10.1097/mcg.0000000000001075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a common cause of liver disease which can progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) guidelines recommend abdominal ultrasound, with or without serum alpha-fetoprotein, every 6 months for HCC surveillance in cirrhotic patients. GOALS Describe HCC surveillance rates in NASH cirrhosis compared with hepatitis C (HCV) cirrhosis and the impact of surveillance on tumor size, treatment, and mortality. STUDY Adults with NASH and HCV cirrhosis diagnosed with HCC from 2009 to 2016 were retrospectively evaluated. Patients were categorized into 3 mutually exclusive disease screening groups based on abdominal imaging with or without serum alpha-fetoprotein testing before HCC diagnosis. RESULTS In total, 99 patients with NASH cirrhosis and 162 patients with HCV cirrhosis were evaluated. In total, 51.5% of NASH cirrhosis patients and 25.9% of HCV cirrhosis patients had no screening before HCC diagnosis. Patients with HCV cirrhosis were significantly more likely to undergo surveillance compared with patients with NASH cirrhosis (P=0.002). NASH cirrhosis patients who underwent complete screening had smaller tumors compared with those with incomplete screening and no screening (P=0.006). There were no differences in number of tumors at diagnosis or mortality between screening groups in patients with NASH cirrhosis (P=0.281 and 0.468, respectively). CONCLUSIONS There is suboptimal HCC surveillance in NASH and HCV cirrhotic patients, with a greater proportion of patients with NASH cirrhosis not undergoing surveillance. Patients with NASH cirrhosis who had complete surveillance had smaller tumors at diagnosis, but there were no differences in treatment outcomes or mortality.
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15
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An fluorescent aptasensor for sensitive detection of tumor marker based on the FRET of a sandwich structured QDs-AFP-AuNPs. Talanta 2019; 197:444-450. [PMID: 30771960 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2019.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Revised: 12/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The detection of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is of great importance for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) diagnosis, but it needs to be further improved because of poor sensitivity and complicated operating steps. In this paper, a simple and sensitive homogeneous apatasensor for AFP has been developed based on Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) where the AFP aptamer labeled luminescent CdTe quantum dots (QDs) as a donor and anti-AFP antibody functional gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as an acceptor. In the presence of AFP, the bio-affinity between aptamer, target, and antibody made the QDs and AuNPs close enough, thus the fluorescence of CdTe QDs quenched though the FRET between QD and AuNP. The fluorescent aptasensor for AFP showed a concentration-dependent decrease of fluorescence intensity in the low nanomolar range and a detecting linear range of 0.5-45 ng mL-1, with a detection limit of 400 pg mL-1. Moreover, this homogeneous aptasensor is simple and reliable, and obtained satisfying results for the detection of AFP in human serum samples. With more and more aptamers for biomarkers have been selected gradually, this approach could be easily extended to detection of a wide range of biomarkers. The proposed aptasensor has great potential for carcinoma screening in point-of-care testing and even in field use.
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16
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to detect the expression of high-temperature requirement A2 (HtrA2) and its diagnostic value in the patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).The relative serum HtrA2 expression at mRNA and protein level was severally detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis in 198 HCC patients and 48 healthy controls. And its association with clinicopathological features was analyzed by chi-square test. The diagnostic value of HtrA2 expression was estimated by establishing a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.Serum HtrA2 was significantly higher in patients with HCC than that in healthy controls both at mRNA and protein levels (P < .05 for both). In addition, the high HtrA2 expression was associated with large tumor size and advanced clinical stage. Furthermore, the value of the area under the ROC curve was 0.808 corresponding with a sensitivity of 65.2% and a specificity of 89.6%, revealed that HtrA2 might be a diagnostic biomarker in HCC.HtrA2 is upregulated and considered to be a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Furong Hao
- Department of Radiotherapy, Weifang People's Hospital, Weifang 261041, Shandong, China
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17
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Gao T, Zhi J, Mu C, Gu S, Xiao J, Yang J, Wang Z, Xiang Y. One-step detection for two serological biomarker species to improve the diagnostic accuracy of hepatocellular carcinoma. Talanta 2018; 178:89-93. [DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2017.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2017] [Revised: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 09/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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18
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Natural History of Untreated Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a US Cohort and the Role of Cancer Surveillance. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2017; 15:273-281.e1. [PMID: 27521507 DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2016.07.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2016] [Revised: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 07/28/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Determining the natural history and predictors of survival in patients with untreated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the United States is useful to test existing tumor classifications, identify subgroups of patients likely to benefit from treatment, and estimate lead time related to HCC surveillance. METHODS We identified a national cohort of 518 veterans diagnosed with HCC from 2004 through 2011, with follow-up ending in 2014, who received no palliative or curative treatment. We examined the association between postdiagnosis survival and patient factors, tumor characteristics, and prediagnosis surveillance. RESULTS The mean age at HCC diagnosis was 65.7 years and most patients had hepatitis C (60.6%). Almost all patients (99%) died within the observation period; the median overall survival time was 3.6 months and survival times were 13.4, 9.5, 3.4, and 1.6 months for patients of Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stages 0/A, B, C, and D, respectively. In addition, model for end-stage liver disease and levels of α-fetoprotein were predictive of survival. Nearly 28% received prediagnosis HCC surveillance, which was associated with detection of disease at an earlier stage (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer 0/A/B; 26.4% vs 14.4%; P = .0006) and slightly longer survival than patients with no surveillance overall (5.2 months vs 3.4 months; P = .021); there was no difference in survival times of patients with 0/A stage who did versus did not receive surveillance (10.3 months vs 10.5 months). CONCLUSIONS Patients with HCCs, including those detected through surveillance, survived for short time periods in the absence of treatment, irrespective of their initial stage at diagnosis. Model for end-stage liver disease scores and levels of α-fetoprotein were prognostic factors, independent of Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage. The lead time related to detection by surveillance was modest (<2 months) and therefore unlikely to explain the survival benefit associated with surveillance in previous studies.
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19
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Dulku G, Dhillon R, Goodwin M, Cheng W, Kontorinis N, Mendelson R. The role of imaging in the surveillance and diagnosis of hepatocellular cancer. J Med Imaging Radiat Oncol 2016; 61:171-179. [DOI: 10.1111/1754-9485.12568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2016] [Accepted: 11/05/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Gurjeet Dulku
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology; Royal Perth Hospital; Perth Western Australia Australia
| | - Ravinder Dhillon
- Radiology Department; Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital; Nedlands Western Australia Australia
| | - Mark Goodwin
- Radiology Department; Austin Hospital; Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Wendy Cheng
- Department of Gastroenterology; Royal Perth Hospital; Perth Western Australia Australia
| | - Nick Kontorinis
- Department of Gastroenterology; Royal Perth Hospital; Perth Western Australia Australia
| | - Richard Mendelson
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology; Royal Perth Hospital; Perth Western Australia Australia
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20
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Oeda S, Iwane S, Takasaki M, Furukawa NE, Otsuka T, Eguchi Y, Anzai K. Optimal Follow-up of Patients with Viral Hepatitis Improves the Detection of Early-stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma and the Prognosis of Survival. Intern Med 2016; 55:2749-2758. [PMID: 27725532 PMCID: PMC5088533 DOI: 10.2169/internalmedicine.55.6730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2015] [Accepted: 02/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To manage patients with viral hepatitis, it is important to screen for hepatitis, conduct a comprehensive examination if such screening is positive, administer antiviral treatment, and conduct surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The proper execution of this strategy is expected to effectively reduce the number of deaths from viral hepatitis. Such an "optimal" follow-up for HCC surveillance is therefore important. This study aimed to determine the benefits of performing an optimal follow-up of patients with viral hepatitis. Methods The subjects were infected with the hepatitis virus and were initially diagnosed with or treated for HCC from 2004-2012. We retrospectively analyzed the history of a patient's current illness using the hospital discharge summary. To minimize any lead-time bias, we calculated the corrected survival for patients who received an optimal follow-up. Results Of 333 patients, 107 (32.1%) did not receive an optimal follow-up and thus had low cumulative survival rates in comparison to those who did. The median corrected survival was 51.5 months for patients with an optimal follow-up compared with 31.4 months for those without (p=0.011). A multivariate analysis revealed that AFP <35 [odds ratio (OR), 2.054], Child-Pugh A (OR, 2.488), and an optimal follow-up (OR, 4.539) were independent factors associated with the detection of early-stage HCC. Age (OR, 0.939), tumor stage I/II (OR, 6.918), and an optimal follow-up (OR, 3.213) were found to be independent factors associated with receiving curative treatment. Conclusion An optimal follow-up of patients with viral hepatitis independently increased the detection of early-stage HCC and the administration of curative treatment. Patients with an optimal follow-up survived longer than those without.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Oeda
- Division of Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Japan
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21
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Bird TG, Dimitropoulou P, Turner RM, Jenks SJ, Cusack P, Hey S, Blunsum A, Kelly S, Sturgeon C, Hayes PC, Bird SM. Alpha-Fetoprotein Detection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Leads to a Standardized Analysis of Dynamic AFP to Improve Screening Based Detection. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0156801. [PMID: 27308823 PMCID: PMC4911090 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0156801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2016] [Accepted: 05/19/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) through screening can improve outcomes. However, HCC surveillance remains costly, cumbersome and suboptimal. We tested whether and how serum Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) should be used in HCC surveillance. Record linkage, dedicated pathways for management and AFP data-storage identified i) consecutive highly characterised cases of HCC diagnosed in 2009–14 and ii) a cohort of ongoing HCC-free patients undergoing regular HCC surveillance from 2009. These two well-defined Scottish patient cohorts enabled us to test the utility of AFP surveillance. Of 304 cases of HCC diagnosed over 6 years, 42% (129) were identified by a dedicated HCC surveillance programme. Of these 129, 47% (61) had a detectable lesion first identified by screening ultrasound (US) but 38% (49) were prompted by elevated AFP. Despite pre-HCC diagnosis AFP >20kU/L being associated with poor outcome, ‘AFP-detected’ tumours were offered potentially curative management as frequently as ‘US-detected’ HCCs; and had comparable survival. Linearity of serial log10-transformed AFPs in HCC cases and in the screening ‘HCC-free’ cohort (n = 1509) provided indicators of high-risk AFP behaviour in HCC cases. An algorithm was devised in static mode, then tested dynamically. A case/control series in hepatitis C related disease demonstrated highly significant detection (p<1.72*10−5) of patients at high risk of developing HCC. These data support the use of AFP in HCC surveillance. We show proof-of-principle that an automated and further refine-able algorithmic interpretation of AFP can identify patients at higher risk of HCC. This approach could provide a cost-effective, user-friendly and much needed addition to US surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas G Bird
- Centre for Liver and Digestive Disorders, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4SA, United Kingdom.,Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, G61 1BD, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Sara J Jenks
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4SA, United Kingdom
| | - Pearce Cusack
- Centre for Liver and Digestive Disorders, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4SA, United Kingdom
| | - Shiying Hey
- Centre for Liver and Digestive Disorders, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4SA, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Blunsum
- Centre for Liver and Digestive Disorders, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4SA, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Kelly
- Centre for Liver and Digestive Disorders, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4SA, United Kingdom
| | - Catharine Sturgeon
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4SA, United Kingdom
| | - Peter C Hayes
- Centre for Liver and Digestive Disorders, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4SA, United Kingdom
| | - Sheila M Bird
- MRC Biostatistics Unit, Cambridge, CB2 0SR, United Kingdom.,Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Strathclyde University, Glasgow, G1 1XH, United Kingdom
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22
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Anyiwe K, Qiao Y, De P, Yoshida EM, Earle CC, Thein HH. Effect of socioeconomic status on hepatocellular carcinoma incidence and stage at diagnosis, a population-based cohort study. Liver Int 2016; 36:902-10. [PMID: 26455359 DOI: 10.1111/liv.12982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2015] [Accepted: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence is increasing worldwide and cirrhosis is the most important risk factor predominantly caused by chronic viral hepatitis infection. We studied the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on HCC incidence and stage at diagnosis among viral hepatitis cases. METHODS A population-based retrospective cohort study was conducted through the Ontario Cancer Registry linked data. Incidence rates were calculated using person-time methodology. Association between SES (income quintile) and HCC incidence was assessed using proportional-hazards regression. The impact of SES on HCC stage was investigated using logistic regression. RESULTS Among 11 350 individuals diagnosed with viral hepatitis between 1991 and 2010, a crude HCC incidence rate of 21.4 cases per 1000 person-years was observed. Adjusting for age, gender, urban/rural residence and year of viral hepatitis diagnosis, a significant association was found between SES and HCC incidence, with an increased risk among individuals in the lowest three income quintiles (incidence rate ratio, IRR = 1.235; 95% CI: 1.074-1.420; IRR = 1.183; 95% CI: 1.026-1.364; IRR = 1.158; 95% CI: 1.000-1.340 respectively). No significant association between SES and HCC incidence was found after additionally adjusting for risk factors associated with HCC. However, HCC risk factors such as cirrhosis and HIV are associated with SES. Furthermore, no association was found between SES and HCC stage. CONCLUSIONS The association between SES and HCC incidence is likely because of differences in risk factors across income quintiles. Investigating how SES affects HCC incidence facilitates an understanding of which populations are at elevated risk for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kika Anyiwe
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yao Qiao
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Prithwish De
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Surveillance and Cancer Registry, Cancer Care Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Eric M Yoshida
- Division of Gastroenterology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Craig C Earle
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Hla-Hla Thein
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Toronto, ON, Canada
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23
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Cucchetti A, Trevisani F, Bucci L, Ravaioli M, Farinati F, Giannini EG, Ciccarese F, Piscaglia F, Rapaccini GL, Di Marco M, Caturelli E, Zoli M, Borzio F, Sacco R, Maida M, Felder M, Morisco F, Gasbarrini A, Gemini S, Foschi FG, Missale G, Masotto A, Affronti A, Bernardi M, Pinna AD. Years of life that could be saved from prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2016; 43:814-24. [PMID: 26864152 DOI: 10.1111/apt.13554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2015] [Revised: 11/25/2015] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) causes premature death and loss of life expectancy worldwide. Its primary and secondary prevention can result in a significant number of years of life saved. AIM To assess how many years of life are lost after HCC diagnosis. METHODS Data from 5346 patients with first HCC diagnosis were used to estimate lifespan and number of years of life lost after tumour onset, using a semi-parametric extrapolation having as reference an age-, sex- and year-of-onset-matched population derived from national life tables. RESULTS Between 1986 and 2014, HCC lead to an average of 11.5 years-of-life lost for each patient. The youngest age-quartile group (18-61 years) had the highest number of years-of-life lost, representing approximately 41% of the overall benefit obtainable from prevention. Advancements in HCC management have progressively reduced the number of years-of-life lost from 12.6 years in 1986-1999, to 10.7 in 2000-2006 and 7.4 years in 2007-2014. Currently, an HCC diagnosis when a single tumour <2 cm results in 3.7 years-of-life lost while the diagnosis when a single tumour ≥ 2 cm or 2/3 nodules still within the Milan criteria, results in 5.0 years-of-life lost, representing the loss of only approximately 5.5% and 7.2%, respectively, of the entire lifespan from birth. CONCLUSIONS Hepatocellular carcinoma occurrence results in the loss of a considerable number of years-of-life, especially for younger patients. In recent years, the increased possibility of effectively treating this tumour has improved life expectancy, thus reducing years-of-life lost.
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Comparative 13-year meta-analysis of the sensitivity and positive predictive value of ultrasound, CT, and MRI for detecting hepatocellular carcinoma. Abdom Radiol (NY) 2016; 41:71-90. [PMID: 26830614 DOI: 10.1007/s00261-015-0592-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To compare the per-lesion sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) of ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS The meta-analysis of sensitivity included 242 studies (15,713 patients); 116 studies (7492 patients) allowed calculation of PPV. Pooled per-lesion sensitivity and PPV for HCC detection were compared using empirical Bayes estimates of a beta-binomial model. RESULTS The pooled per-lesion sensitivity and PPV of contrast-enhanced CT (73.6%, 85.8%) and gadolinium-enhanced MRI (77.5%, 83.6%) are not significantly different (P = 0.08, P = 0.2). However, if the hepatobiliary agent gadoxetate is used, MRI has significantly higher pooled per-lesion sensitivity and PPV (85.6%, 94.2%) than CT (P < 0.0001) or than MRI with other agents (P < 0.0001). Non-contrast-enhanced US has the lowest overall sensitivity and PPV (59.3%, 77.4%). Pooled per-lesion sensitivity and PPV of contrast-enhanced US (84.4%, 89.3%) are relatively high, but no contrast-enhanced US study used the most rigorous reference standards. CONCLUSION MRI utilizing the hepatobiliary agent gadoxetate has the highest overall sensitivity and PPV, and may be the single optimal method for diagnosis of HCC. Non-contrast-enhanced US has the lowest sensitivity and PPV. More rigorous reference standards are needed to compare the performance of contrast-enhanced US with CT and MRI. Differences in sensitivity and PPV between CT and conventional gadolinium-enhanced MRI are not statistically significant overall.
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Prediction of vascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma by next-generation des-r-carboxy prothrombin. Br J Cancer 2015; 114:53-8. [PMID: 26679378 PMCID: PMC4716541 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2015.423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 08/27/2015] [Accepted: 10/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), des-r-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) more accurately reflects the malignant potential than alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). Next-generation DCP (NX-DCP) was created to overcome some of the limitations of conventional DCP. This study assessed the predictive value of NX-DCP for vascular invasion in HCC. METHODS We prospectively studied 82 consecutive patients who were scheduled to undergo resection for HCC. Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of pathological vascular invasion. The predictive powers of AFP, conventional DCP, and NX-DCP for vascular invasion were compared by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, and correlations with tumour markers and the presence of vascular invasion were assessed. RESULTS Vascular invasion was pathologically confirmed in 21 patients (positive group) and absent in 61 patients (negative group). The NX-DCP level was significantly higher in the positive group than in the negative group (510.0 mAU ml(-1) (10-98 450) vs 34.0 mAU ml(-1) (12-541), P<0.0001), while the AFP level did not differ significantly between the groups (9.7 ng ml(-1) (1.6-43 960.0) vs 11.0 ng ml(-1) (1.6-1650.0), P=0.49). The area under the curve (AUC) of NX-DCP (AUC=0.813, sensitivity=71.4%, 1-specificity=13.1%) had good sensitivity for the prediction of vascular invasion, while the AUC of AFP was 0.550 (sensitivity=28.6%, 1-specificity=1.60%). The suitable cutoff value for identifying pathological vascular invasion in HCC was 33 mm (AUC: 0.783, sensitivity=71.43%, 1-specificity=11.48%). CONCLUSIONS The NX-DCP level can be used to predict the presence of vascular invasion in HCC.
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Development and evaluation of analytical performance of a fully automated chemiluminescent immunoassay for protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist II. Clin Biochem 2015. [PMID: 26210849 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2015.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist II (PIVKA-II), an abnormal form of prothrombin, has been used as an aid in the diagnosis of hepatocellular cancer (HCC) as a tumor marker. We developed a fully automated quantitative immunoassay for PIVKA-II on the ARCHITECT® i systems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the analytical performance of this assay. DESIGN AND METHOD Assay imprecision, sensitivity, dilution linearity, high dose hook effect, sample type equivalency, assay interferences of potential interfering materials and correlation with Picolumi PIVKA-II (Eidia, Tokyo, Japan) were evaluated. RESULTS The percentage coefficient of variation (%CV) of total imprecision ranged from 2.8% to 5.4% with 10 levels of samples. The limit of blank (LoB), limit of detection (LoD), and limit of quantitation (LoQ) were less than 0.63 mAU/mL, 1.62 mAU/mL, and 8.25 mAU/mL, respectively. Linearity up to 30,000 mAU/mL, no high dose hook effect, no difference among sample types and no interference of common drugs and endogenous substances were observed. Correlation study with the Picolumi PIVKA-II gave a correlation coefficient of 0.93 and a regression slope of 1.07. CONCLUSIONS The results demonstrate that the fully automated prototype ARCHITECT PIVKA-II assay is an accurate, highly sensitive and precise assay for the measurement of PIVKA-II levels in human sera and plasmas.
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Boal Carvalho P, Pereira E. Imagiological Diagnosis of Gastrointestinal Diseases - Diagnostic Criteria of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. GE-PORTUGUESE JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY 2015; 22:153-160. [PMID: 28868398 PMCID: PMC5580142 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpge.2015.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2015] [Accepted: 04/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of neoplastic morbidity and mortality worldwide, and despite recent treatment advances, the prognosis remains dismal, with a 5-year mortality rate of 85%. The surveillance and timely diagnosis is therefore of crucial importance in order to improve survival rates and alleviate the health burden imposed by the HCC. Previously, HCC diagnosis warranted liver biopsy, an invasive process with limited diagnostic accuracy. In the past 15 years, HCC diagnosis based solely on imaging criteria was accepted by all the major national and international guidelines, and is now widely employed across the globe. Current European guidelines for the HCC diagnosis support the use of both dynamic contrasted computer tomography as well as magnetic resonance imaging for the non-invasive diagnosis of HCC for nodules >1 cm in a cirrhotic liver. The non-invasive diagnosis of HCC depends on radiological hallmarks, such as homogeneous contrast uptake during the arterial phase and wash-out during the venous and late phases, but while such tumoral behaviour is frequent in nodules >2 cm, high-end equipment and superior expertise is often needed for the correct diagnosis of early HCC. Nevertheless, the accuracy of imaging techniques for the diagnosis of HCC is permanently improving, and supports the progressively reduced need for liver biopsy during liver nodule workout in a cirrhotic liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Boal Carvalho
- Gastroenterology Department, Centro Hospitalar do Alto Ave, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Eduardo Pereira
- Gastroenterology Department, Hospital Amato Lusitano, Unidade Local de Saúde de Castelo Branco, Castelo Branco, Portugal
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Guarino M, Stroffolini T, Lombardo FL, Loperto I, Auriemma F, Gentile I, Caporaso N, Morisco F. Lack of evidence that adherence to standard of care therapy improves survival in subjects with hepatocellular carcinoma in clinical practice. J Med Virol 2015; 87:1368-76. [PMID: 25802203 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.24187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Currently, the BCLC classification, which links tumor stage with treatment option, is the standard system for clinical management of HCC. Thus far, this approach has been considered the standard of care worldwide. This study aimed to evaluate the survival of patients with HCC according to the BCLC Stage, surveillance, and adherence to standards of care. A 3-year prospective study enrolled 92 consecutive patients with HCC in the Gastroenterology Unit of the University of Naples "Federico II". Predictors of the likelihood of death were evaluated by the multivariate Cox model. Forty out of 92 (43%) subjects died during three years of follow up. The overall mortality rate per 100 person-years was 16.7, while the mortality rate for hepatic causes was only 14.2; it was lower in subjects under surveillance (11.4 vs. 28.2), in subjects adherent to standards of care (12.0 vs. 21.1), and in those who were in a better BCLC stage (10.6 vs. 45.8). The multivariate Cox model showed that advanced BCLC stage (HR 4.1, 95% C.I. = 1.8-9.4) was the sole independent predictor of the likelihood of mortality. In this regard, we observed lack of evidence that the adherence to the BCLC recommendations reduces the mortality of patients with HCC; and that the BCLC system cannot be accepted as a "commandment" to be invariably followed in everyday practice. Strategies to help improve adherence to international guidelines for HCC in clinical practice are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Guarino
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Gastroenterology Unit, University of Naples "Federico II", Italy
| | - Tommaso Stroffolini
- Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University "La Sapienza" Rome, Italy
| | - Flavia Lucia Lombardo
- National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, National Institute of Health, Rome
| | - Ilaria Loperto
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Gastroenterology Unit, University of Naples "Federico II", Italy
| | - Francesco Auriemma
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Gastroenterology Unit, University of Naples "Federico II", Italy
| | - Ivan Gentile
- Department of Public Medicine and Social Security, Section of Infectious Diseases, University of Naples "Federico II", Italy
| | - Nicola Caporaso
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Gastroenterology Unit, University of Naples "Federico II", Italy
| | - Filomena Morisco
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Gastroenterology Unit, University of Naples "Federico II", Italy
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Chapman WC, Klintmalm G, Hemming A, Vachharajani N, Majella Doyle MB, DeMatteo R, Zaydfudim V, Chung H, Cavaness K, Goldstein R, Zendajas I, Melstrom LG, Nagorney D, Jarnagin W. Surgical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma in North America: can hepatic resection still be justified? J Am Coll Surg 2015; 220:628-37. [PMID: 25728142 DOI: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2014.12.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2014] [Accepted: 12/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The incidence of hepatocellular cancer (HCC) is increasing dramatically worldwide. Optimal management remains undefined, especially for well-compensated cirrhosis and HCC. STUDY DESIGN This retrospective analysis included 5 US liver cancer centers. Patients with surgically treated HCC between 1990 and 2011 were analyzed; demographics, tumor characteristics, and survival rates were included. RESULTS There were 1,765 patients who underwent resection (n = 884, 50.1%) or transplantation (n = 881, 49.9%). Overall, 248 (28.1%) resected patients were transplant eligible (1 tumor <5 cm or 2 to 3 tumors all <3 cm, no major vascular invasion); these were compared with 496 transplant patients, matched based on year of transplantation and tumor status. Overall survivals at 5 and 10 years were significantly improved for transplantation patients (74.3% vs 52.8% and 53.7% vs 21.7% respectively, p < 0.001), with greater differences in disease-free survival (71.8% vs 30.1% at 5 years and 53.4% vs 11.7% at 10 years, p < 0.001). Ninety-seven of the 884 (11%) resected patients were within Milan criteria and had cirrhosis; these were compared with the 496 transplantation patients, with similar results to the overall group. On multivariate analysis, type of surgery was an independent variable affecting all survival outcomes. CONCLUSIONS The increasing incidence of HCC stresses limited resources. Although transplantation results in better long-term survival, limited donor availability precludes widespread application. Hepatic resection will likely remain a standard therapy in selected patients with HCC. In this large series, only about 10% of patients with cirrhosis were transplant-eligible based on tumor status. Although liver transplantation results are significantly improved compared with resection, transplantation is available only for a minority of patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- William C Chapman
- Department of Surgery, Section of Abdominal Transplantation, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO.
| | | | - Alan Hemming
- Department of Surgery, University of California San Diego Health System, San Diego, CA
| | - Neeta Vachharajani
- Department of Surgery, Section of Abdominal Transplantation, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO
| | - Maria B Majella Doyle
- Department of Surgery, Section of Abdominal Transplantation, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO
| | - Ron DeMatteo
- Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Victor Zaydfudim
- Department of Surgery, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA
| | - Haniee Chung
- Department of Surgery, Section of Abdominal Transplantation, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO
| | | | | | - Ivan Zendajas
- Department of Surgery, University of Florida Health, Gainesville, FL
| | - Laleh G Melstrom
- Department of Surgery, The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgets Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ
| | | | - William Jarnagin
- Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
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Bharadwaj S, Gohel TD. Perspectives of physicians regarding screening patients at risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. Gastroenterol Rep (Oxf) 2015; 4:237-40. [PMID: 25563577 PMCID: PMC4976672 DOI: 10.1093/gastro/gou089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2014] [Accepted: 12/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and aims: Screening patients at risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) facilitates early detection of disease, with improved outcome. The most common causes of HCC include chronic viral hepatitis infection—namely hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and cirrhosis. The aim of this study was to assess the awareness of screening among physicians involved in the management of patients at risk for HCC. Methods: Three hundred physicians from three academic centers were invited to participate in a mailed survey questionnaire. The main outcome measure was physicians' knowledge of the current HCC screening guidelines. Demographic and clinical variables were obtained from the survey questionnaire. Results: A total of 177 (59.0%) out of the 300 invited physicians responded to the survey questionnaire, including faculty members (n = 129), residents (n = 46), and fellows (n = 2). The specialty areas of the responding physicians were internal medicine (62.1%), family medicine (16.4%), gastroenterology (15.3%), oncology (3.4%) and others (2.8%). The number of physicians who performed HCC screening in patients with cirrhosis secondary to chronic hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C infection were 163 (92.1%) and 167 (94.4%), respectively; 35.0% of them used alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) every 6 months, while 22.0% used imaging modalities every 6 months to screen for HCC. Further, 22 physicians (12.4%) did not check for serum AFP levels and 33 (18.6%) never used imaging to screen for HCC. Conclusion: The majority of the participating physicians screen high-risk patients for HCC. However, the most appropriate modality of screening (i.e. imaging) is not employed by most physicians and there is greater reliance on AFP levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shishira Bharadwaj
- Department of Gastroenterology/Hepatology, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Tushar D Gohel
- Department of Gastroenterology/Hepatology, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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31
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Kim DY, Kim HJ, Jeong SE, Kim SG, Kim HJ, Sinn DH, Lee YJ, Jeong WK, Choi KS, Heo NY, Kim DJ, Kim YS, Kim YB, Kim YJ, Kim HR, Park M, Lee CW, Tak WY, Chung JH, Kim SY, Kim Y, Lee WC, Kim HS. The Korean guideline for hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance. JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION 2015. [DOI: 10.5124/jkma.2015.58.5.385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Do Young Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyun Jung Kim
- Institute for Preventive Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Seung Eun Jeong
- Department of Radiology, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sang Gyune Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Korea
| | - Hyung Joon Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Dong Hyun Sinn
- Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yong Joo Lee
- Department of Family Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Woo Kyoung Jeong
- Department of Radiology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kui Son Choi
- Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea
| | - Nae-Yun Heo
- Department of Internal Medicine, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea
| | - Dong Joon Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea
| | - Young Seok Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Korea
| | | | - Yoon Jun Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine and Liver Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyoung-Ryoul Kim
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Minseon Park
- Department of Family Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Chan Wha Lee
- Department of Radiology, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea
| | - Won Young Tak
- Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea
| | - Ji Hye Chung
- National Cancer Control Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea
| | - Soo Young Kim
- Department of Family Medicine, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yeol Kim
- National Cancer Control Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea
| | - Won-Chul Lee
- Department of Preventive Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hong Soo Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Korea
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Beste LA, Ioannou GN, Yang Y, Chang MF, Ross D, Dominitz JA. Improved surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma with a primary care-oriented clinical reminder. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2015; 13:172-9. [PMID: 24813175 DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2014.04.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2014] [Revised: 04/30/2014] [Accepted: 04/30/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Surveillance of patients with cirrhosis for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with liver ultrasound every 6 months has been linked to longer survival and greater use of definitive treatment. However, less than 20% of patients typically undergo routine surveillance. METHODS We conducted a quasi-experimental study to assess whether a primary care-oriented, point-of-care clinical reminder improves HCC surveillance. Our study included patients with cirrhosis who made 1 or more primary care visits to 8 Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities over 18 months. Clinicians at 1 facility were sent a reminder to perform liver ultrasound assessments for patients with cirrhosis who had not received surveillance in the preceding 6 months. Outcomes included the proportion of patients receiving adequate HCC surveillance (defined as >2 instances of liver imaging >6 months apart) and HCC diagnosis and stage. Because it was a quality improvement project, this study did not require approval by an institutional review board under Federal law and VA policy. RESULTS Baseline rates of adequate HCC surveillance were similar at all facilities (18.2% at the intervention site vs 16.1% elsewhere; P = .23). After the reminder was implemented, adequate surveillance at the intervention site (for 790 patients) increased by 51%, but was unchanged at the other facilities (for 2094 patients) (27.6% vs 17.5%; P < .001). Adequate surveillance occurred more often at the intervention site (adjusted odds ratio, 1.29; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.61; P = .02). A higher crude percentage of patients was diagnosed with HCC at the intervention site than elsewhere (3.2% vs 1.9%; P = .03). We detected no difference in tumor stage at diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS In a VA population, a clinical reminder system increased HCC surveillance in patients with cirrhosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A Beste
- General Internal Medicine, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington; Health Services Research and Development, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington; Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
| | - George N Ioannou
- Gastroenterology Section, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington; Division of Gastroenterology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Yin Yang
- Health Services Research and Development, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington
| | - Michael F Chang
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Portland, Oregon; Gastroenterology and Hepatology Division, Oregon Health and Sciences University, Portland, Oregon
| | - David Ross
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Clinical Public Health, HIV, Hepatitis C, and Public Health Pathogens Program, Washington, D.C; Division of Infectious Diseases, George Washington University, Washington, D.C
| | - Jason A Dominitz
- Health Services Research and Development, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington; Gastroenterology Section, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington; Division of Gastroenterology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
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Zhang D, Wang Y, Dai Y, Wang J, Suo T, Pan H, Liu H, Shen S, Liu H. Downregulation of RIP140 in hepatocellular carcinoma promoted the growth and migration of the cancer cells. Tumour Biol 2014; 36:2077-85. [PMID: 25391428 DOI: 10.1007/s13277-014-2815-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2014] [Accepted: 11/04/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies with a poor response to chemotherapy. It is very important to identify novel diagnosis biomarkers and therapeutic targets. RIP140, a regulator of estrogen receptor, recently has been found to be involved in the tumorigenesis. However, its function in the progression of HCC remains poorly understood. Here, we found that the expression of RIP140 was downregulated in the HCC tissues. Moreover, overexpression of RIP140 in HCC cells inhibited cell proliferation and migration, while downregulation of RIP140 promoted the tumorigenicity of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, RIP140 interacted with beta-catenin and negatively regulated beta-catenin/TCF signaling. Taken together, our study suggests the suppressive roles of RIP140 in the pathogenesis of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dexiang Zhang
- General Surgery Department, Zhongshan Hospital, General Surgery Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
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Hori M, Tanaka M, Ando E, Sakata M, Shimose S, Ohno M, Yutani S, Kuraoka K, Kuromatsu R, Sumie S, Sata M. Long-term outcome of elderly patients (75 years or older) with hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatol Res 2014; 44:975-82. [PMID: 24256493 DOI: 10.1111/hepr.12279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2013] [Revised: 11/14/2013] [Accepted: 11/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
AIM The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcome of elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) aged 75 years or older. METHODS The study included 422 patients with HCC, who were divided into two age groups: 75 years or older (n = 140) and younger than 75 (n = 282). Outcomes were compared between the two groups. RESULTS The number of elderly patients treated with supportive care alone (33 patients; 24%) was significantly higher than younger patients (30 patients; 11%, P < 0.01). The 1-, 3-, 5- and 7-year overall survival rates of the elderly patients (81%, 55%, 39% and 23%, respectively) were worse than those of younger patients (85%, 64%, 49% and 36%, respectively, P = 0.042). However, the overall survival rate of the elderly group after excluding 63 patients treated with supportive care alone, was similar to that of the younger group (P = 0.615). Multivariate analysis identified age, total bilirubin levels, albumin levels, serum des-γ-carboxy prothrombin levels, tumor size, number of HCC nodules, vascular invasion, extrahepatic metastasis and treatment modality as independent and significant factors of overall survival. CONCLUSION Advanced age is a negative prognostic factor in patients with HCC due to the tendency for frequent use of conservative treatment rather than locoregional or surgical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maisa Hori
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University Medical Center, Fukuoka, Japan
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Ramachandran J. Surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma. J Clin Exp Hepatol 2014; 4:S50-6. [PMID: 25755611 PMCID: PMC4284216 DOI: 10.1016/j.jceh.2014.03.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2013] [Accepted: 03/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a dreaded complication of cirrhosis as it is the commonest cause of mortality in these patients. The last few years have seen a dramatic improvement in the management of this tumor as nearly 50-70% of selected patients with early HCC survive for a median period of up to 5 years after liver transplantation, resection or local ablation. Surveillance has been found to be an effective tool to detect early tumors and expand the applicability of these curative treatment options. Semiannual ultrasonogram is recommended for surveillance by the American, European and Asia Pacific liver societies and is the standard of care in many countries. There is increasing evidence that this practice improves survival too. Since the only way to improve the outlook of HCC is its diagnosis prior to commencement of symptoms, providing surveillance becomes a major responsibility of physicians caring for patients with chronic liver disease. This review attempts to discuss the population at risk of HCC, modalities and frequency of surveillance tests, cost effectiveness and also the logistics of its delivery in the Indian context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeyamani Ramachandran
- Address for correspondence: Jeyamani Ramachandran, Professor, Department of Hepatology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
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Kumar A, Acharya SK, Singh SP, Saraswat VA, Arora A, Duseja A, Goenka MK, Jain D, Kar P, Kumar M, Kumaran V, Mohandas KM, Panda D, Paul SB, Ramachandran J, Ramesh H, Rao PN, Shah SR, Sharma H, Thandassery RB. The Indian National Association for Study of the Liver (INASL) Consensus on Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in India: The Puri Recommendations. J Clin Exp Hepatol 2014; 4:S3-S26. [PMID: 25755608 PMCID: PMC4284289 DOI: 10.1016/j.jceh.2014.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2013] [Accepted: 04/08/2014] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the major causes of morbidity, mortality and healthcare expenditure in patients with chronic liver disease. There are no consensus guidelines on diagnosis and management of HCC in India. The Indian National Association for Study of the Liver (INASL) set up a Task-Force on HCC in 2011, with a mandate to develop consensus guidelines for diagnosis and management of HCC, relevant to disease patterns and clinical practices in India. The Task-Force first identified various contentious issues on various aspects of HCC and these issues were allotted to individual members of the Task-Force who reviewed them in detail. The Task-Force used the Oxford Center for Evidence Based Medicine-Levels of Evidence of 2009 for developing an evidence-based approach. A 2-day round table discussion was held on 9th and 10th February, 2013 at Puri, Odisha, to discuss, debate, and finalize the consensus statements. The members of the Task-Force reviewed and discussed the existing literature at this meeting and formulated the INASL consensus statements for each of the issues. We present here the INASL consensus guidelines (The Puri Recommendations) on prevention, diagnosis and management of HCC in India.
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Key Words
- AFP, alpha-fetoprotein
- AIIMS, All India Institute of Medical Sciences
- ASMR, age standardized mortality rate
- BCLC, Barcelona-Clinic Liver Cancer
- CEUS, contrast enhanced ultrasound
- CT, computed tomography
- DCP, des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin
- DDLT, deceased donor liver transplantation
- DE, drug eluting
- FNAC, fine needle aspiration cytology
- GPC-3, glypican-3
- GS, glutamine synthase
- Gd-EOB-DTPA, gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid
- HBV, Hepatitis B virus
- HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma
- HCV, Hepatitis C virus
- HSP-70, heat shock protein-70
- HVPG, hepatic venous pressure gradient
- ICG, indocyanine green
- ICMR, Indian Council of Medical Research
- INASL, Indian National Association for Study of the Liver
- LDLT, living donor liver transplantation
- MRI, magnetic resonance imaging
- Mabs, monoclonal antibodies
- NAFLD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- OLT, orthotopic liver transplantation
- PAI, percutaneous acetic acid injection
- PEI, percutaneous ethanol injection
- PET, positron emission tomography
- PVT, portal vein thrombosis
- RECIST, Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors
- RFA
- RFA, radio frequency ablation
- SVR, sustained viral response
- TACE
- TACE, transarterial chemoembolization
- TART, trans-arterial radioisotope therapy
- UCSF, University of California San Francisco
- liver cancer
- targeted therapy
- transplant
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Kumar
- Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Subrat K. Acharya
- Department of Gastroenterology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Road, New Delhi 110 029, India
| | - Shivaram P. Singh
- Department of Gastroenterology, SCB Medical College, Cuttack, Odisha, India
| | - Vivek A. Saraswat
- Department of Gastroenterology, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Anil Arora
- Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Ajay Duseja
- Department of Hepatology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Mahesh K. Goenka
- Department of Gastroenterology, Apollo Gleneagles Hospital, 58, Canal Circular Road, Kolkata, West Bengal 700 054, India
| | - Deepali Jain
- Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Premashish Kar
- Department of Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Manoj Kumar
- Department of Hepatology, Institute of Liver & Biliary Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Vinay Kumaran
- Department of Surgical Gastroenterology and Liver Transplantation, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Kunisshery M. Mohandas
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Tata Medical Center, Kolkata, West Bengal 700156, India
| | - Dipanjan Panda
- Department of Oncology, Institute of Liver & Biliary Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Shashi B. Paul
- Department of Radiodiagnosis, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Jeyamani Ramachandran
- Department of Hepatology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632 004, India
| | - Hariharan Ramesh
- Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, Lakeshore Hospital and Research Center, Cochin, Kerala, India
| | - Padaki N. Rao
- Department of Medical Gastroenterology, Asian Institute of Gastroenterology, Somajiguda, Hyderabad, India
| | - Samir R. Shah
- Department of Gastroenterology, Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre, Peddar Road, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400 026, India
| | - Hanish Sharma
- Department of Gastroenterology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Road, New Delhi 110 029, India
| | - Ragesh B. Thandassery
- Department of Gastroenterology, Apollo Gleneagles Hospital, 58, Canal Circular Road, Kolkata, West Bengal 700 054, India
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Fong ZV, Tanabe KK. The clinical management of hepatocellular carcinoma in the United States, Europe, and Asia: A comprehensive and evidence-based comparison and review. Cancer 2014; 120:2824-38. [DOI: 10.1002/cncr.28730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 188] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2014] [Revised: 02/18/2014] [Accepted: 03/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Ven Fong
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston Massachusetts
| | - Kenneth K. Tanabe
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston Massachusetts
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Clinical characteristics, treatment patterns and survival outcome of hepatocellular carcinoma patients aged 70 years or older: a single-center retrospective study from China. Aging Clin Exp Res 2014; 26:123-30. [PMID: 24129805 DOI: 10.1007/s40520-013-0142-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2013] [Accepted: 09/04/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The information about clinical presentation and outcome of elderly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients is limited. We performed this study to assess the impact of age on potential differences in clinical characteristics, treatment patterns and outcome in HCC patients. METHODS Clinical data of 164 "elderly" (≥70 years old) and 531 "younger" (<70 years old) HCC patients treated at a Chinese tertiary university-affiliated medical center between April 2004 and April 2012 were collected and compared using various parameters. RESULTS Compared with younger patients, the elderly patients had a higher proportion of females (32.9 % vs. 18.1 %, p < 0.001), less hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (40.9 % vs. 76.6 %, p < 0.001), more hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (23.8 % vs. 5.6 %, p < 0.001), less liver cirrhosis (68.3 % vs. 76.8 %, p = 0.03) and massive tumors (12.8 % vs. 21.8 %, p = 0.01). There was no significant difference between the two groups in Child-Pugh class and tumor stages. The elderly patients received less surgical resection (14.6 % vs. 29.6 %, p < 0.001) and more supportive care (48.8 % vs. 37.9 %, p = 0.01) than younger patients. The overall survival was not significantly different between the two groups (26.2 mo. vs. 28.3 mo., p = 0.75). CONCLUSION Characteristics that distinguish elderly from younger HCC patients included more female, less HBV infection, more HCV infection, less liver cirrhosis and massive tumors. Significant differences were observed in therapeutic strategies utilized with the two groups, but the overall survival was not significantly different.
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Davila JA, Kramer JR, Duan Z, Richardson PA, Tyson GL, Sada YH, Kanwal F, El-Serag HB. Referral and receipt of treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma in United States veterans: effect of patient and nonpatient factors. Hepatology 2013; 57:1858-68. [PMID: 23359313 PMCID: PMC4046942 DOI: 10.1002/hep.26287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2012] [Accepted: 11/27/2012] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED The delivery of treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) could be influenced by the place of HCC diagnosis (hospitalization versus outpatient), subspecialty referral following diagnosis, as well as physician and facility factors. We conducted a study to examine the effect of patient and nonpatient factors on the place of HCC diagnosis, referral, and treatment in Veterans Administration (VA) hospitals in the United States. Using the VA Hepatitis C Clinical Case Registry, we identified hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients who developed HCC during 1998-2006. All cases were verified and staged according to Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) criteria. The main outcomes were place of HCC diagnosis, being seen by a surgeon or oncologist, and treatment. We examined factors related to these outcomes using hierarchical logistic regression. These factors included HCC stage, HCC surveillance, physician specialty, and facility factors, in addition to risk factors, comorbidity, and liver disease indicators. Approximately 37.2% of the 1,296 patients with HCC were diagnosed during hospitalization, 31.0% were seen by a surgeon or oncologist, and 34.3% received treatment. Being seen by a surgeon or oncologist was associated with surveillance (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.47; 95% CI: 1.20-1.80) and varied by geography (1.74;1.09-2.77). Seeing a surgeon or oncologist was predictive of treatment (aOR = 1.43; 95% CI: 1.24-1.66). There was a significant increase in treatment among patients who received surveillance (aOR = 1.37; 95% CI: 1.02-1.71), were seen by gastroenterology (1.65;1.21-2.24), or were diagnosed at a transplant facility (1.48;1.15-1.90). CONCLUSION Approximately 40% of patients were diagnosed during hospitalization. Most patients were not seen by a surgeon or oncologist for treatment evaluation and only 34% received treatment. Only receipt of HCC surveillance was associated with increased likelihood of outpatient diagnosis, being seen by a surgeon or oncologist, and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A Davila
- Houston VA Health Services Research Center of Excellence, Section of Health Services Research, Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA.
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El-Serag HB, Kanwal F. α-Fetoprotein in hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance: mend it but do not end it. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2013; 11:441-3. [PMID: 23376321 DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2012.12.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2012] [Accepted: 12/21/2012] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Abstract
The only hope for a cure from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) rests on early diagnosis as it can be attained through semiannual surveillance with abdominal ultrasound (US) of patients at risk. While the strategy of semiannual screening rests on the growth rate of the tumor that in cirrhotic patients takes 6 months to double its volume, on average, the noninvasive radiological diagnosis of HCC is possible in cirrhotic patients with a de novo HCC and patients with chronic hepatitis B. More recently, metabolic diseases related to insulin resistance, including diabetes and obesity, have been recognized to be causally related to HCC as well, in most patients bridging HCC to the histopathological diagnosis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). While the endpoint of an early diagnosis is achieved quite easily in most patients with >1 cm HCC by computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrating the specific pattern of an intense contrast uptake during the arterial phase (wash-in) and contrast wash-out during the venous/delayed phase, nodules <1 cm in size are more difficult to diagnose, almost invariably requiring an enhanced follow up with three monthly examinations with US until they grow in size or change their echo pattern. Owing to the lack of robust controlled evidence demonstrating a clinical benefit of surveillance, the real support for screening for liver cancer comes from the striking differences in response to therapy between screened populations in whom HCC is diagnosed and treated at early stages and patients with more advanced, incidentally detected tumors. This notwithstanding, numerous barriers work against screening effectiveness, including limited or outdated knowledge, lack of financial incentives, and limited access to appropriate testing and treatment. Though strengthening prediction in individual patients is expected to improve the cost-effectiveness ratio of screening, the benefits of approaches like pretreatment patient stratification by clinical, histologic, and genetic scores remain uncertain, while the worthiness of excluding patients with severe comorbidities and aged individuals is still debated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Della Corte
- Department of Medicine, First Division of Gastroenterology, Centro AM e A Migliavacca for the Study of Liver Disease, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico and Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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Sherman M, Bruix J, Porayko M, Tran T. Screening for hepatocellular carcinoma: the rationale for the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases recommendations. Hepatology 2012; 56:793-6. [PMID: 22689409 DOI: 10.1002/hep.25869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2012] [Revised: 05/19/2012] [Accepted: 05/21/2012] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most frequently occurring malignancies and has a high mortality rate. The incidence of HCC differs greatly according to the geographic area. East and Southeast Asia, as well as middle and West Africas have the highest prevalence of HCC. The risk factors for developing HCC are well known and include cirrhosis, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, alcohol consumption, smoking, diabetes, and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Cirrhosis is the most significant risk factor, and there is a correlation between the degree of noninvasively measured liver fibrosis and the risk of HCC occurrence. HBV exerts carcinogenic effects by several mechanisms, including host genome integration, and studies have revealed that HBV replication predicts HCC development. HCV induces multistep carcinogenesis from inflammation, to fibrosis and liver cancer. HCC is an appropriate target for surveillance programs for early cancer detection. Currently, liver ultrasonography (US) combined with serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP, a biomarker of HCC) measurement every 6 months is the standard method of HCC surveillance. Although US is the most widely used tool, its sensitivity in detecting early HCC (i.e., within the Milan criteria) during surveillance is only 63%. AFP is the representative biomarker for both HCC surveillance and diagnosis; however, the unsatisfactory performance of AFP as a surveillance tool means that a novel biomarker or combination with other serum markers is required. Des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin and AFP-L3 are candidate biomarkers that are complementary to AFP. The strategies of HCC surveillance vary in different countries according to the healthcare system, the resources available, and health insurance coverage. Many studies have shown that the rate of early cancer detection and rate of application of curative therapies were increased, as was the survival time, by HCC surveillance, which should now become a part of standard care, rather than just a recommendation. Improved US technology and the discovery of new biomarkers are necessary to make further progress in HCC surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kwang-Hyub Han
- *Kwang-Hyub Han, MD Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Liver Cirrhosis Clinical Research Center, Liver Cancer Early Diagnosis Clinic, Severance Hospital, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-752 (Korea), Tel. +82 2 2228 1949, E-Mail
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EASL-EORTC clinical practice guidelines: management of hepatocellular carcinoma. J Hepatol 2012; 56:908-43. [PMID: 22424438 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2011.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4373] [Impact Index Per Article: 364.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2011] [Accepted: 12/15/2011] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
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- EASL Office, 7 rue des Battoirs, CH-1205 Geneva, Switzerland.
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Chan SL, Mo FKF, Wong VWS, Liem GS, Wong GLH, Chan VTC, Poon DMC, Loong HHF, Yeo W, Chan ATC, Mok TSK, Chan HLY. Use of antiviral therapy in surveillance: impact on outcome of hepatitis B-related hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver Int 2012; 32:271-8. [PMID: 22098536 DOI: 10.1111/j.1478-3231.2011.02634.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2011] [Accepted: 08/02/2011] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antiviral therapy for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is frequently prescribed for patients with chronic HBV infection during surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In patients who subsequently develop HCC, the impact of antiviral therapy on the outcome of HCC remains unclear. AIMS We aimed to study the impact of antiviral therapy on the survival of patients who developed HCC. METHODS From two prospective surveillance cohorts, the use of antiviral therapy for patients with HCC was retrospectively reviewed. We compared the overall survival, liver function and tumour characteristics between patients with and without antiviral therapy during surveillance. Multivariate analysis was conducted to determine the independent prognostication of antiviral therapy. RESULTS During a median follow-up of 10.1 years of 1429 patients, 148 cases of HCC were diagnosed and followed up for a median of 5.7 years. Twenty-nine patients were given antiviral therapy during surveillance and continued treatment after diagnosis of HCC. The median survival of this group of patients was better than the rest of cohorts (hazard ratio: 0.472; 95% CI: 0.25-0.89; P = 0.0191). Use of antiviral therapy remained an independent prognostic factor after adjustment for demographic factors and tumour staging on multivariate analysis. Exploratory analysis revealed that patients who commenced antiviral therapy during surveillance had lower HBV DNA, lower serum alanine transaminase, better hepatic reserves and higher rate of local treatment at diagnosis of HCC. CONCLUSION This study provides evidence that commencement of antiviral therapy during the surveillance period is associated with improvement in overall survival in HBV-related HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen L Chan
- State Key Laboratory in Oncology in South China, Sir YK Pao Center for Cancer, Department of Clinical Oncology, Hong Kong Cancer Institute and Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
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Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma in clinical practice: the lesson from a 20-year multicentre experience in Italy. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2012; 24:195-202. [PMID: 22108511 DOI: 10.1097/meg.0b013e32834e153c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an established indication for liver transplantation (LT), but the selection criteria and priority are still debated. AIMS To ascertain the number and features of patients with HCC who undergo transplantation in a Western country, the number of patients eligible for LT according to the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) guidelines, the number of patients who actually undergo transplantation and whether adherence affects survival. METHODS This is a retrospective analysis from a multicentre Italian database of 2042 cases of HCC, recruited prospectively and consecutively. Kaplan-Meier (log rank) and Cox multivariate analysis estimated survival. RESULTS Patients who had undergone transplantation (50, 2.5%, with no change over time) had a median survival of 133 months, significantly influenced by the number of lesions and alpha-fetoprotein levels, which were found to be independent predictors of survival on multivariate analysis. Milan criteria were fulfilled in 68%, impacting on survival, whereas 48% fulfilled AASLD guidelines, without such an impact. Two hundred and twenty-eight (11%) patients were eligible for LT according to AASLD; in this group, alpha-fetoprotein levels and Child-Pugh class were independent predictors of survival. CONCLUSION Among patients with HCC, those undergoing LT represent a small minority; even fewer (1%) are those who undergo transplantation according to AASLD guidelines, adherence to which only marginally affects survival. Overall, LT impact on HCC patients' treatment is very limited.
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Kim DY, Kim JW, Kuromatsu R, Ahn SH, Torimura T, Sherman M. Controversies in surveillance and early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncology 2011; 81 Suppl 1:56-60. [PMID: 22212937 DOI: 10.1159/000333261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The surveillance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an established approach to detect early cancers in patients with defined risks. However, there are still varied controversies and issues to be addressed regarding the optimal surveillance methods and interval. Moreover, there are discrepancies in the opinion or practice of HCC surveillance between Eastern and Western countries. The Western strategy of ultrasound without a biomarker such as α-fetoprotein reflects the cost-effective utilization of limited resources. On the contrary, combined measurements of biomarkers in Eastern countries are based on the assumption that increased detection of early cancers could result in an overall survival benefit. To address this complicated issue, a prospective study comparing different surveillance tests might be required. More importantly, discovery of a novel biomarker with higher performance would be an alternative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Do Young Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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Ozenne V, Bouattour M, Goutté N, Vullierme MP, Ripault MP, Castelnau C, Valla DC, Degos F, Farges O. Prospective evaluation of the management of hepatocellular carcinoma in the elderly. Dig Liver Dis 2011; 43:1001-5. [PMID: 21798829 DOI: 10.1016/j.dld.2011.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2011] [Revised: 06/17/2011] [Accepted: 06/24/2011] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND An increasing proportion of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma are older than 75 years. Previous studies suggested that ageing does not adversely impact survival but they have the drawback of being retrospective and spanning a prolonged period of time. GOALS Evaluate management and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in elderly. PATIENTS AND METHODS A multidisciplinary oncology meeting prospectively evaluated all patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Management were standardised according to European and American guidelines. Forty patients older than 75 years were matched with younger patients for tumour extension and liver function. Both groups were compared for the type of treatment and survival. RESULTS Male/female ratio was 1.2 as compared to 7 in controls. Cirrhosis was related mostly to hepatitis C virus in elderly, and equally to hepatitis C or B virus and alcohol in controls. Curative treatments were recommended in 55% of elderly and 75% of controls. Treatment actually performed was curative in 25% in elderly as compared to 63% in controls. Median survival (30 months) was identical in both groups. CONCLUSION Despite more restricted access to curative treatments, survival of elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma is comparable to that of younger patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violaine Ozenne
- Department of Hepatology, Hôpital Beaujon, AP-HP, Clichy, France
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