Rho YS, Pagano I, Wong LL, Kwee SA, Acoba JD. Factors and Survival Implications associated with biopsy of hepatocellular carcinoma.
HPB (Oxford) 2021;
23:1054-1060. [PMID:
33229278 DOI:
10.1016/j.hpb.2020.11.001]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the few cancers that can be diagnosed based on imaging findings alone. The factors associated with the decision to perform a biopsy and the clinical impact have not been previously studied.
METHODS
We collected data of patients diagnosed with HCC between 2004 and 2015 from the National Cancer Database. We assessed associations between biopsy and survival with demographic and clinical factors.
RESULTS
We included 160,507 patients. The median age was 62 (40-90), 74.1% were male and 74.9% were white. Over the 12-year period, 47.7% (76,524/160,517) underwent a biopsy. Factors associated with a biopsy were black race, older age, presence of metastatic disease, larger tumor size, and treatment at a community cancer center. Factors associated with increased mortality were older age, higher comorbidity index, larger tumor size, presence of metastatic disease, higher AFP and elevated bilirubin. There was a significant decreased use of biopsy over successive years (2007-2015). After adjusting for prognostic factors, biopsy had no significant impact on survival HR 1.01 (95%CI 1.00-1.03. p = 0.07).
CONCLUSIONS
A significant number of patients underwent a biopsy. Performing a biopsy did not have a significant impact on survival.
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