Partial hepatectomy with wide versus narrow resection margin for solitary hepatocellular carcinoma: a prospective randomized trial

A nomogram based on bi-regional radiomics features from multimodal magnetic resonance imaging for preoperative prediction of microvascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

We aimed to develop and validate a nomogram combining bi-regional radiomics features from multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and clinicoradiological characteristics to preoperatively predict microvascular invasion (MVI) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

A total of 267 HCC patients were divided into training (n=194) and validation (n=73) cohorts according to MRI data. Bi-regional features were extracted from whole tumors and peritumoral regions in multimodal MRI. The minimum redundancy maximum relevance (mRMR) algorithm was applied to select features and build signatures. The predictive performance of the optimal radiomics signature was further evaluated within subgroups defined by tumor size and alpha fetoprotein (AFP) level. Then, a radiomics nomogram including the optimal radiomics signature, radiographic descriptors, and clinical variables was developed using multivariable regression. The nomogram performance was evaluated based on its discrimination, calibration, and clinical utility.

Results

The fusion radiomics signature derived from triphasic dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MR images can effectively classify MVI and non-MVI HCC patients, with an AUC of 0.784 (95% CI: 0.719-0.840) in the training cohort and 0.820 (95% CI: 0.713-0.900) in the validation cohort. The fusion radiomics signature also performed well in the subgroups defined by the two risk factors, respectively. The nomogram, consisting of the fusion radiomics signature, arterial peritumoral enhancement, and AFP level, outperformed the clinicoradiological prediction model in the validation cohort (AUCs: 0.858 vs. 0.729; P=0.022), fitting well in the calibration curves (P>0.05). Decision curves confirmed the clinical utility of the nomogram.

Conclusions

The radiomics nomogram can serve as a visual predictive tool for MVI in HCCs, and thus assist clinicians in selecting optimal treatment strategies to improve clinical outcomes.

Preoperative prediction of microvascular invasion in hepatocellular cancer: a radiomics model using Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI

OBJECTIVES

Preoperative prediction of microvascular invasion (MVI) in patients with hepatocellular cancer (HCC) is important for surgery strategy making. We aimed to develop and validate a combined intratumoural and peritumoural radiomics model based on gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for preoperative prediction of MVI in primary HCC patients.

METHODS

This study included a training cohort of 110 HCC patients and a validating cohort of 50 HCC patients. All the patients underwent preoperative Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI examination and curative hepatectomy. The volumes of interest (VOIs) around the hepatic lesions including intratumoural and peritumoural regions were manually delineated in the hepatobiliary phase of MRI images, from which quantitative features were extracted and analysed. In the training cohort, machine-learning method was applied for dimensionality reduction and selection of the extracted features.

RESULTS

The proportion of MVI-positive patients was 38.2% and 40.0% in the training and validation cohort, respectively. Supervised machine learning selected ten features to establish a predictive model for MVI. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity of the combined intratumoural and peritumoural radiomics model in the training and validation cohort were 0.85 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.77-0.93), 88.2%, 76.2%, and 0.83 (95% CI, 0.71-0.95), 90.0%, 75.0%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

We evaluate quantitative Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI image features of both intratumoural and peritumoural regions and provide an effective radiomics-based model for the prediction of MVI in HCC patients, and may therefore help clinicians make precise decisions regarding treatment before the surgery.

KEY POINTS

• An effective radiomics model for prediction of microvascular invasion in HCC patients is established. • The radiomics model is superior to the radiologist in prediction of MVI. • The radiomics model can help clinicians in pretreatment decision making.

The impact of resection margin and microvascular invasion on long-term prognosis after curative resection of hepatocellular carcinoma: a multi-institutional study

BACKGROUND

The resection margin (RM) status and microscopic vascular invasion (MVI) are known prognostic factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). An enhanced understanding of their impact on long-term prognosis is required to improve oncological outcomes.

METHODS

Using multi-institutional data, the different impact of the RM status (narrow, <1 cm, or wide, ≥1 cm) and MVI (positive or negative) on overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) after curative liver resection of solitary HCC without macrovascular invasion was analyzed.

RESULTS

In 801 patients, 306 (38%) had a narrow RM and 352 (44%) had positive MVI. The median OS and RFS were 109.8 and 74.8 months in patients with wide RM & negative MVI, 93.5 and 53.1 months with wide RM & positive MVI, 79.2 and 41.6 months with narrow RM & negative MVI, and 69.2 and 37.5 months with narrow RM & positive MVI (both P < 0.01). On multivariable analyses, narrow RM & positive MVI had the highest hazard ratio with reduced OS and RFS (HR 2.96, 95% CI 2.11-4.17, and HR 3.15, 95% CI, 2.09-4.67, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Concomitant having narrow RM and positive MVI increases the risks of postoperative death and recurrence by about 2-fold in patients with solitary HCC.

2018 Korean Liver Cancer Association-National Cancer Center Korea Practice Guidelines for the Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer globally and the fourth most common cancer in men in Korea, where the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B infection is high in middle-aged and elderly patients. These practice guidelines will provide useful and constructive advice for the clinical management of patients with HCC. A total of 44 experts in hepatology, oncology, surgery, radiology, and radiation oncology in the Korean Liver Cancer Association-National Cancer Center Korea Practice Guideline Revision Committee revised the 2014 Korean guidelines and developed new recommendations that integrate the most up-to-date research findings and expert opinions.

Early versus late recurrence of centrally located hepatocellular carcinoma after mesohepatectomy: A cohort study based on the STROBE guidelines

The aim of this study was to investigate the features, treatment, and prognosis of early versus late recurrence of centrally located hepatocellular carcinoma (CL-HCC) after mesohepatectomy (MH).Three hundred forty eight patients with CL-HCC undergoing MH were included. Data on clinicopathological characteristics, initial surgical details, timing and sites of tumor recurrence, management after recurrence, and long-term outcomes were analyzed.The optimal cutoff value to differentiate early (71 patients, 64.5%) versus late (39, 35.5%) recurrence was defined as 12 months. Patients with early recurrence (ER) had higher alpha fetoprotein (AFP) level (P < .001), more advanced tumor stage (P = .024), and higher incidence of microvascular invasion (MVI, P = .001). Patients with ER had higher incidence of local tumor recurrence (P = .027) and higher average number of recurrent nodules (P = .016) than patients with LR. Patients after ER showed a better overall survival (from date of diagnosis of recurrence) than after late recurrence (LR). Patients with ER had less chances of curative treatment (14.1% vs 41.0%, P = .004) after tumor recurrence than patients with LR. Multivariable analyses revealed that liver cirrhosis (P < .001) and tumor differentiation (P < .001) were associated with an increased likelihood of LR, while multiple tumor number (P = .005), type IV classification (P = .012), and MVI (P < .001) were independent risk factors related to ER.ER and LR after MH for CL-HCC were associated with different risk predictors and prognosis. Data on the timing of recurrence may inform decisions about postoperative adjuvant treatment, as well as help to predict long-term survival for these patients.

An Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital Microvascular Invasion Scoring System in Predicting Prognosis of Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Microvascular Invasion After R0 Liver Resection: A Large-Scale, Multicenter Study

BACKGROUND

Microvascular invasion (MVI) is associated with poor postoperative survival outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). An Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital (EHBH) MVI scoring system was established to predict prognosis in patients with HCC with MVI after R0 liver resection (LR) and to supplement the most commonly used classification systems.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with HCC with MVI who underwent R0 LR as an initial therapy were included. The EHBH-MVI score was developed from a retrospective cohort from 2003 to 2009 to form the training cohort. The variables associated with overall survival (OS) on univariate analysis were subsequently investigated using the log-rank test, and the EHBH-MVI score was developed using the Cox regression model. It was validated using an internal prospective cohort from 2011 to 2013 as well as three independent external validation cohorts.

RESULTS

There were 1,033 patients in the training cohort; 322 patients in the prospective internal validation cohort; and 493, 282, and 149 patients in the three external validation cohorts, respectively. The score was developed using the following factors: α-fetoprotein level, tumor encapsulation, tumor diameter, hepatitis B e antigen positivity, hepatitis B virus DNA load, tumor number, and gastric fundal/esophageal varicosity. The score differentiated two groups of patients (≤4, >4 points) with distinct long-term prognoses outcomes (median OS, 55.8 vs. 19.6 months; p < .001). The predictive accuracy of the score was greater than the other four commonly used staging systems for HCC.

CONCLUSION

The EHBH-MVI scoring system was more accurate in predicting prognosis in patients with HCC with MVI after R0 LR than the other four commonly used staging systems. The score can be used to supplement these systems.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Microvascular invasion (MVI) is a major determinant of survival outcomes after curative liver resection for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Currently, there is no scoring system aiming to predict prognosis of patients with HCC and MVI after R0 liver resection (LR). Most of the widely used staging systems for HCC do not use MVI as an independent risk factor, and they cannot be used to predict the prognosis of patients with HCC and MVI after surgery. In this study, a new Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital (EHBH) MVI scoring system was established to predict prognosis of patients with HCC and MVI after R0 LR. Based on the results of this study, postoperative adjuvant therapy may be recommended for patients with HCC and MVI with an EHBH-MVI score >4. This score can be used to supplement the currently used HCC classifications to predict postoperative survival outcomes in patients with HCC and MVI.

2018 Korean Liver Cancer Association-National Cancer Center Korea Practice Guidelines for the Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer globally and the fourth most common cancer in men in Korea, where the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B infection is high in middle-aged and elderly patients. These practice guidelines will provide useful and constructive advice for the clinical management of patients with HCC. A total of 44 experts in hepatology, oncology, surgery, radiology and radiation oncology in the Korean Liver Cancer Association-National Cancer Center Korea Practice Guideline Revision Committee revised the 2014 Korean guidelines and developed new recommendations that integrate the most up-to-date research findings and expert opinions.

Prognostic and Therapeutic Implications of Microvascular Invasion in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a morbid condition for which surgical and ablative therapy are the only options for cure. Nonetheless, over half of patients treated with an R0 resection will develop recurrence. Early recurrences within 2 years after resection are thought to be due to the presence of residual microscopic disease, while late recurrences > 2 years after resection are thought to be de novo metachronous HCCs arising in chronically injured liver tissue. Microvascular invasion (MVI) is defined as the presence of micrometastatic HCC emboli within the vessels of the liver, and is a critical determinant of early recurrence and survival. In this review, we summarize the pathogenesis and clinical relevance of MVI, which correlates with adverse biological features, including high grade, large tumor size, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Multiple classification schemas have been proposed to capture the heterogeneous features of MVI that are associated with prognosis. However, currently, MVI can only be determined based on surgical specimens, limiting its clinical applicability. Going forward, advances in axial imaging technologies, molecular characterization of biopsy tissue, and novel serum biomarkers hold promise as future methods for non-invasive MVI detection. Ultimately, MVI status may be used to help clinicians determine treatment plans, particularly with respect to surgical intervention, and to provide more accurate prognostication.

Imaging biomarkers for well and moderate hepatocellular carcinoma: preoperative magnetic resonance image and histopathological correlation

Background

Our aim of the study is to investigate the feasibility of preoperative prediction for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) histological grading using gadoxetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods

This study included one hundred and fifty-six patients with solitary HCC. Preoperative gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI findings were retrospectively analyzed. MRI qualitative features such as tumor size, margin, capsule status, signal homogeneity, intratumoral vessels, peritumoral enhancement during mid-arterial phase, peritumoral hypointensity during the hepatobiliary phase (HBP) were investigated. Apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs), T1 reduction ratio of pre- and post-contrast enhanced images of the tumors were calculated. HCC histological grading in surgical specimens were confirmed by Edmonson’s criteria. Correlations between these MRI features and HCC histological grading were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to assess the predictive efficacy of the model.

Results

Univariate analysis showed that maximum tumor diameter (p = 0.004), tumor margin (p = 0.006), intratumoral vessels (p = 0.001) and peritumoral hypointensity during HBP (p = 0.000), were significantly correlated with HCC histological grading. There was no relationship between capsule, tumor signal, venous thrombosis, peritumoral enhancement during mid-arterial phase, ADC value, T1 reduction ratio, and HCC histological grading. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the maximum tumor diameter (p = 0.012, odds ratio = 1.002, 95% confidence interval: 1.007–1.046)) was an independent risk factor for high grade HCC.

Conclusions

Greater tumor size, a more irregular margin, presence of intratumoral vessels, and peritumoral hypointensity during HBP were indicators for high grade HCC. The maximum tumor diameter was an independent risk factor for high grade HCC.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-019-5574-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Clinical relevance of alpha-fetoprotein in determining resection margin for hepatocellular carcinoma

Liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated with high recurrence rates. Adequate resection margin which is carried out by surgeons may reduce tumor recurrence. Nevertheless, the margin width remains controversial particularly in cirrhotic patients where optimal parenchymal preservation is necessary. This study aims to find a reference for proposing the resection margin when liver resection is planning.Totally, 534 patients who received liver resection for HCC were included. The clinical profiles of the patients, tumor characteristics and patients' survival were all collected. The patients were classified according to resection margin (<0.5 cm, 0.5-0.99 cm, and ≥1 cm) and preoperative α-fetoprotein (AFP) levels (<15 ng/ml, 15-200 ng/ml, and >200 ng/ml), then survival was calculated.Most of the patients had hepatitis B (52.4%) and hepatitis C (24.0%) infection. Multivariate analysis showed that narrow resection margin (<0.5 cm) (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.323, P = .024), high AFP level (≥15 ng/ml) (HR: 1.305, P = .039), major extent of resection (≥3 segments) (HR: 1.507, P = .034), and underlying cirrhosis (HR: 1.404, P = .009) were independent risk factors for disease-free survival. In further survival analysis, resection margin was not significant for disease-free survival if serum AFP levels were <15ng/ml. However, for the patients with AFP level between 15 and 200 ng/ml, resection margin ≥0.5 cm was significant to improve 5-year disease-free survival from 24.6 months to 38.7 months (P = .040). For the patients with AFP >200 ng/ml, resection margin had to be extended to ≥1 cm to improve 5-year disease-free survival from 33.9 months to 48.8 months (P = .012). When the patients meeting AFP <15 ng/ml with tumor-free margin, AFP between 15 and 200 ng/ml with margin ≥0.5 cm, and AFP level >200 ng/ml with margin ≥1 cm were compared, their survival rates were not different.Adequate resection margin can be guided by pre-operative AFP levels. Tumor-free margin is enough for patients with normal AFP level. A resection margin ≥0.5 cm is advised for the patients with AFP between 15 and 200 ng/ml, and ≥1 cm for the patients with AFP over 200 ng/ml.

CT-based peritumoral radiomics signatures to predict early recurrence in hepatocellular carcinoma after curative tumor resection or ablation

OBJECTIVE

To construct a prediction model based on peritumoral radiomics signatures from CT images and investigate its efficiency in predicting early recurrence (ER) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after curative treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In total, 156 patients with primary HCC were randomly divided into the training cohort (109 patients) and the validation cohort (47 patients). From the pretreatment CT images, we extracted 3-phase two-dimensional images from the largest cross-sectional area of the tumor. A region of interest (ROI) was manually delineated around the lesion for tumoral radiomics (T-RO) feature extraction, and another ROI was outlined with an additional 2 cm peritumoral area for peritumoral radiomics (PT-RO) feature extraction. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression model was applied for feature selection and model construction. The T-RO and PT-RO models were constructed. In the validation cohort, the prediction efficiencies of the two models and peritumoral enhancement (PT-E) were evaluated qualitatively by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration curves and decision curves and quantitatively by area under the curve (AUC), the category-free net reclassification index (cfNRI) and integrated discrimination improvement values (IDI).

RESULTS

By comparing AUC values, the prediction accuracy in the validation cohort was good for the PT-RO model (0.80 vs. 0.79, P = 0.47) but poor for the T-RO model (0.82 vs. 0.62, P < 0.01), which was significantly overfitted. In the validation cohort, the ROC curves, calibration curves and decision curves indicated that the PT-RO model had better calibration efficiency and provided greater clinical benefits. CfNRI indicated that the PT-RO model correctly reclassified 47% of ER patients and 32% of non-ER patients compared to the T-RO model (P < 0.01); additionally, the PT-RO model correctly reclassified 24% of ER patients and 41% of non-ER patients compared to PT-E (P = 0.02). IDI indicated that the PT-RO model could improve prediction accuracy by 0.22 (P < 0.01) compared to the T-RO model and by 0.20 (P = 0.01) compared to PT-E.

CONCLUSION

The CT-based PT-RO model can effectively predict the ER of HCC and is more efficient than the T-RO model and the conventional imaging feature PT-E.

Optimal postoperative adjuvant treatment strategy for HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma with microvascular invasion: a propensity score analysis

Background

Microvascular invasion (MVI) is the most important risk factor associated with early postoperative recurrence in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the efficacy of postoperative adjuvant treatment for preventing recurrence in HCC patients with MVI has not been assessed. This study investigated the efficacy of postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in HCC patients with MVI.

Materials and methods

From July 2008 to December 2016, 117 hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC patients with MVI were retrospectively divided into two groups based on postoperative adjuvant treatments. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to adjust for significant differences in baseline characteristics. Relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) of the two groups were analyzed before and after PSM.

Results

Of all patients, the RT group had significantly smaller tumor size and milder MVI classification. PSM analysis created 46 pairs of patients. After matching, the two groups of patients were similar in baseline characteristics. Multivariate analysis indicated that tumor size, MVI classification, and postoperative treatment strategies were independently associated with RFS; tumor size and MVI classification were independently associated with OS. Similar multivariate analysis results were demonstrated after matching propensity score. Survival analysis revealed that the estimated median RFS and OS of patients with RT and TACE were 25.74±8.12 vs 9.18±1.67 months (P=0.003) and 60.69±7.36 vs 36.53±5.34 months (P=0.262), respectively. The RT group had significantly longer RFS than the TACE group.

Conclusion

Postoperative adjuvant RT offers better RFS for HCC patients with MVI than TACE.

Thermal ablation versus wedge or segmental resection in patients with early stage hepatocellular carcinoma: a population survival analysis

BACKGROUND

The aim of this retrospective review was to evaluate the long-term survival benefits of thermal ablation versus wedge or segmental resection in solitary HCC lesions using tumor size and clinical factors.

METHODS

Survival analysis was performed on 43,601 patients from 2004 to 2015 in the National Cancer Database with solitary HCC lesions ≤5 cm with further stratification by tumor size, fibrosis score, and type of resection.

RESULTS

In patients with moderate fibrosis or less, survival benefit was seen with one-segment resection over ablation in tumors 1.1-3 cm (HR 0.54, p = 0.03) while tumors of 3.1-5 cm received survival benefit from wedge (HR 0.44, p = 0.04), one (HR 0.28, p = 0.001) and two-segment (HR 0.20, p = 0.001) resections over ablation. In patients with severe fibrosis to cirrhosis, wedge resection demonstrated survival benefit over ablation in patients with tumors 1.1-3 cm (HR 0.48, p = 0.01) with no survival benefit of any resection type in patients with tumors of 3.1-5 cm.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that the decision to utilize thermal ablation versus resection to extend survival in solitary HCC lesions should include tumor size, fibrosis score, and type of resection.

Laparoscopic Versus Open Hepatectomy in Short- and Long-Term Outcomes of the Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients with Cirrhosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) has been reported as a safe and efficacious treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. However, in cirrhosis patients, LH may be more complex and challenging. So, the short- and long-term outcomes should be well evaluated between LH and open hepatectomy (OH) in HCC patients with cirrhosis. Objectives: To compare the short- and long-term outcomes of LH with OH in HCC patients with cirrhosis. Materials and Methods: The PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science were systematically searched to identify the clinical trials published until July 2018 on the comparison of LH and OH in HCC patients with cirrhosis. The statistical analysis was conducted by the Review Manager 5.3 (Cochrane Collaboration, Oxford, United Kingdom). Short-term outcomes included blood loss, operation time, blood transfusion, postoperative complications, mortality, postoperative hospital stay, tumor size, and surgical margin. Long-term outcomes included 1-, 3-, 5-year overall survival (OS) and 1-, 3-, 5-year disease-free survival (DFS). Results: Seventeen studies with 2004 patients were included in this meta-analysis. For short-term outcomes, LH suggested less blood loss, lower blood transfusion rates, reduced occurrence of postoperative complications, wider surgical margin, shorter postoperative hospital stay, and declined rate of mortality (all P < .05). However, there was no significant difference in operation time (P = .67) between the two groups, whereas tumor size was larger in OH (P = .004). As to long-term outcomes, 1-, 3-, 5-year OS and 1-year DFS were higher in LH group (all P < .05). Nevertheless, there were no significant differences in 3- and 5-year DFS (P = .23 and .83, respectively). Conclusions: For the HCC patients with cirrhosis, current evidence suggests that LH shows not only better outcomes in short term, but also a comparable and even improved long-term prognosis.

Is R1 vascular hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma oncologically adequate? Analysis of 327 consecutive patients

BACKGROUND

R1 vascular resection for liver tumors was introduced in the early twenty-first century. However, its oncologic adequacy remains controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the oncologic adequacy of R1 vascular hepatectomy in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

METHODS

A prospective cohort of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma resected between the years 2005 and 2015 was reviewed. R0 was any resection with a minimum 1 mm of negative margin. R1 vascular was any resection with tumor exposure attributable to the detachment from major intrahepatic vessel. R1 parenchymal was any resection with tumor exposure at parenchymal margin. The end points were the calculation of the local recurrence of R0, R1 parenchymal, and R1 vascular hepatectomy and their prognostic significances.

RESULTS

We analyzed 327 consecutive patients with 532 hepatocellular carcinoma and 448 resection areas. We found that 205 (63%) resulted R0, 56 (17%) resulted R1 parenchymal, 50 (15%) resulted R1 vascular, and 16 (5%) resulted both R1 parenchymal and R1 vascular. After a median follow-up of 33.5 months (range 6.1-107.6), the 5-year overall survival rates were 54%, 30%, 65%, and 36%, respectively for R0, R1 parenchymal, R1 vascular, and R1 parenchymal + R1 vascular (P = .031). Local recurrence rates were 3%, 14%, 4%, and 19%, respectively for R0, R1 parenchymal, R1 vascular, and R1 parenchymal + R1 vascular (P = .001) per patient, and 4%, 4%, 12%, and 18%, respectively for R0, R1 vascular, R1 parenchymal, and R1 parenchymal + R1 vascular (P = .001) per resection area. At multivariate analysis R1 parenchymal and R1 vascular + R1 parenchymal were independent detrimental factors.

CONCLUSION

R1 vascular hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma is not associated with increased local recurrence or decreased survival. Thus, detachment of hepatocellular carcinoma from intrahepatic vessels should be considered oncologically adequate.

Anatomical versus Non-anatomical Resection for Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Microscope Vascular Invasion: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis

Background: The benefits of anatomical resection (AR) and non-anatomical resection (NAR) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with microscope vascular invasion (MVI) remain unknown. We aimed to investigate the prognostic outcomes of AR and NAR for HCC patients with MVI. Study Design: A total of 362 consecutive HCC patients diagnosed with MVI after hepatic resection between February 2005 and December 2013 were included in this study. The patient outcomes were compared, and a 1:2 propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was applied to eliminate selection bias. Results: Before PSM, compared to the NAR group, the AR group contained more patients that exceeded the Milan criteria, with larger, unilobar tumors and higher AST levels. After PSM, 100 patients were classified into the propensity-matched AR group (PS-AR), while 170 were classified into the propensity-matched NAR group (PS-NAR). Baseline data, including liver function and tumor burden measurements, were similar in the matched groups. The respective 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 78.9%, 56.9%, and 51.5% in the PS-AR group and 76.2%, 53.0%, and 42.4% in the PS-NAR group (P = 0.301). The 1-, 3- and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 51.1%, 44.7% and 42.0% in the PS-AR group and 44.9%, 34.3% and 26.4% in the PS-NAR group, respectively (P = 0.039). Multivariate analysis identified AR (P=0.025) as an independent favorable prognostic factor for DFS in HCC patients with MVI. Conclusions: Anatomical resection was superior to non-anatomical resection for improving DFS in hepatocellular carcinoma patients with microscope vascular invasion.

A wide-margin liver resection improves long-term outcomes for patients with HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma with microvascular invasion

BACKGROUND

The impact of the resection margin on survival outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma remains to be determined. This study aimed to examine the association between the width of resection margin and the presence of microvascular invasion in hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

METHODS

We reviewed data on 2,508 consecutive patients who underwent liver resection for a solitary, hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma for operative morbidity, tumor recurrence, and overall survival.

RESULTS

Microvascular invasion was identified histologically in 929 patients (37.0%). A wide margin of resection (≥1 cm, n = 384) resulted in better 5-year recurrence and overall survival versus a narrow margin of resection (<1 cm, n = 545) among patients with microvascular invasion (71.1% versus 85.9%; 44.9% versus 25.0%; both P < .001), but not in patients without microvascular invasion (P = .131, .182). Similar results were identified after propensity-score matching. A wide margin resection also had a lesser incidence of early recurrence developed within the first postoperative 24 months (58.1% versus 72.7%; P < .001). Compared with a wide resection margin, a narrow margin was associated with worse recurrence and overall survival in patients with microvascular invasion (hazard ratio: 1.50 and 1.75). In addition, a wide or a narrow resection margin had differences in the rate of grade I-III, but not grade IV complications (31.0% versus 21.7%; P = .017; 3.5% versus 1.6%; P = .147) among cirrhotic patients with microvascular invasion.

CONCLUSION

The presence of microvascular invasion was associated with a worse prognosis after resection. A wide resection margin resulted in better long-term prognoses versus a narrow resection margin among patients with hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma with microvascular invasion.

Safety margin after radiofrequency ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma: precise assessment with a three-dimensional reconstruction technique using CT imaging

PURPOSE

To analyse the precise ablative margin (AM) after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the correlation between AM and local tumour progression (LTP) with a three-dimension (3D) reconstruction technique.

METHODS

From March 2011 to May 2013, 134 patients who underwent RFA for 159 primary or recurrent HCCs within Milan criteria were enrolled. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) scans were performed 1 week before and 1 month after treatment. The AM was measured in various directions using a 3D reconstruction technique that shows the index tumour and ablated zone on the same image. The average of all obtained AMs (average AM) and the smallest AM (min-AM) were calculated.

RESULTS

The min-AM after RFA ranged from 1 to 9.3 mm (median ± standard deviation, 4.8 ± 1.8 mm). LTP was observed in 19 tumours from 19 patients. The median min-AM was 3.1 ± 1.6 mm for patients with LTP, while the median min-AM of patients without LTP was 5.1 ± 1.8 mm (p = 0.023). After RFA, the 1-, 2- and 3-year LTP rates were 10.9, 25.9 and 35.1%, respectively, for patients with min-AM <5 mm, and 4.1, 4.1 and 4.1%, respectively, for patients with min-AM ≥5 mm (p = 0.016). Multivariate analysis showed that only min-AM <5 mm was an independent risk factor for LTP after RFA (p = 0.044, hazard ratio =4.587, 95% confidence interval, 1.045-22.296).

CONCLUSIONS

The 3D reconstruction technique is a precise method for evaluating the post-ablation margin. Patients with min-AM less than 5 mm had a higher probability of developing LTP.

Surgical management of children and adolescents with upfront completely resected hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive malignant neoplasm that is often chemoresistant. Complete surgical resection remains the mainstay of therapy. The role of liver transplantation (LT) in pediatric HCC is in evolution, as is the role of adjuvant chemotherapy for stage I disease.

METHODS

A retrospective review of patients < 18 years of age with completely resected HCC treated with surgical intervention alone at our institution from 2004 to 2015 was conducted.

RESULTS

Twelve patients with a median age of 12 years (range = 1-17; number of females = 7) with upfront resected HCC (Evans stage I) were identified. Four patients had HCC without identifiable risk factors (fibrolamellar-HCC = 2; early HCC arising in focal nodular hyperplasia = 1, well-differentiated [wd] HCC = 1). Four patients had early or wd-HCC in the context of portosystemic shunts (Abernethy = 2; mesocaval shunt and portal vein thrombosis = 2). Four patients had moderate to wd-HCC in the context of pre-existing liver disease with cirrhosis (progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type-2 = 2, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency = 1, Alagille syndrome = 1). Seven patients underwent LT (multifocal = 5; solitary = 2); five exceeded Milan criteria (MC) by imaging. Five patients underwent complete resection (segmentectomy = 2; hemihepatectomy = 3). Ten patients received no adjuvant chemotherapy. All patients are alive without evidence of disease with a median follow-up of 54.1 months (range = 28.1-157.7 months).

CONCLUSIONS

Pediatric and adolescent patients with upfront, completely resected HCC can be effectively treated without chemotherapy. LT should be considered for nonmetastatic HCC, especially in the context of pre-existing chronic liver disease, even when the tumor exceeds MC. Distinct pediatric selection criteria are needed to identify patients most suitable for LT.

Adjuvant transcatheter arterial chemoembolization after curative resection for hepatocellular carcinoma patients with solitary tumor and microvascular invasion: a randomized clinical trial of efficacy and safety

Background

The optimal strategy for adjuvant therapy after curative resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with solitary tumor and microvascular invasion (MVI) is controversial. This trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of adjuvant transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) after hepatectomy versus hepatectomy alone in HCC patients with a solitary tumor ≥ 5 cm and MVI.

Methods

In this randomized, open-labeled, phase III trial, HCC patients with a solitary tumor ≥ 5 cm and MVI were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either 1–2 cycles of adjuvant TACE after hepatectomy (Hepatectomy-TACE) or hepatectomy alone (Hepatectomy Alone). The primary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS); the secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS) and adverse events.

Results

Between June 1, 2009, and December 31, 2012, 250 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to the Hepatectomy-TACE group (n = 125) or the Hepatectomy Alone group (n = 125). Clinicopathological characteristics were balanced between the two groups. The median follow-up time from randomization was 37.5 months [interquartile range 18.3–48.2 months]. The median DFS was significantly longer in the Hepatectomy-TACE group than in the Hepatectomy Alone group [17.45 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 11.99–29.14) vs. 9.27 months (95% CI 6.05–13.70), hazard ratio [HR] = 0.70 (95% CI 0.52–0.95), P = 0.020], respectively. The median OS was also significantly longer in the Hepatectomy-TACE group than in the Hepatectomy Alone group [44.29 months (95% CI 25.99–62.58) vs. 22.37 months (95% CI 10.84–33.91), HR = 0.68 (95% CI 0.48–0.97), P = 0.029]. Treatment-related adverse events were more frequently observed in the Hepatectomy-TACE group, although these were generally mild and manageable. The most common grade 3 or 4 adverse events in both groups were neutropenia and liver dysfunction.

Conclusion

Hepatectomy followed by adjuvant TACE is an appropriate option after radical resection in HCC patients with solitary tumor ≥ 5 cm and MVI, with acceptable toxicity.

The Clinical Implications of Liver Resection Margin Size in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Terms of Positron Emission Tomography Positivity

BACKGROUND

The positivity of positron emission tomography (PET) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) correlates with aggressive tumor factors and poor survival. Adequate resection margin size is still a topic of debate. We analyzed the clinical implications of resection margin size in patients with HCC in terms of PET positivity.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 92 patients who underwent liver resection from March 2012 to October 2015. We investigated prognostic factors for recurrence and survival. We analyzed the correlation of resection margin size and PET positivity. Resection margins were classified as less than 1 cm and more than 1 cm.

RESULTS

Twenty six (31.3%) patients had PET-positive HCC. Multivariate analysis showed PET, satellite nodules, microvessel invasion, and multicentric occurrence were significant prognostic factors for HCC recurrence. Multivariate analysis also showed satellite nodules and microscopic portal vein invasion were significant prognostic factors for overall survival (OS). Resection margin size did not affect disease-free survival (DFS) (p = 0.681) or OS (p = 0.301) in patients with PET-negative HCC, but showed a difference in DFS [<1 cm at 11 months vs. ≥1 cm at 41 months (p = 0.188)] and OS [<1 cm at 28 months vs. ≥1 cm at 48 months (p < 0.001)] in patients with PET-positive HCC.

CONCLUSIONS

PET has low sensitivity for HCC. However, it is useful to predict treatment outcomes after liver resection or liver transplantation for HCC. Although the extent of liver resection must be decided based on liver function, a resection margin size >1 cm may improve DFS and OS in patients with PET-positive HCC.

Multidisciplinary management of recurrent and metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma after resection: an international expert consensus

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth-most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the world. However, 40-70% patients eventually suffer from postoperative recurrence within 5 years. HCC recurrence after surgery severely affects prognosis of the patients. Nevertheless, there is an opportunity to improve patients' prognosis if doctors and researchers can recognize the importance of a standardized perioperative management and study it in clinical and pre-clinical settings. Hence, based on our own experience and published studies from other researchers, we develop this consensus regarding multidisciplinary management of locally recurrent and metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma after resection. This consensus consists of the entire course of recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (RHCC) management, including prediction of recurrence, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and surveillance of RHCC. Consensus recommendations are presented with grades of evidences (Ia, Ib, IIa, IIb, III and IV), and strength of recommendations (A, B, C, D and E). We also develop a decision-making path for RHCC treatment, which can intuitively demonstrate the management for RHCC. It is hoped that we may make some effort to standardize the management of RHCC and ultimately understand how to improve outcomes.

Clinical significance of macroscopic no-margin hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatectomy with a sufficient margin is often impossible for hepatocellular carcinomas that are close to the large intrahepatic vascular structures, and macroscopically complete resection along the tumor capsule is the only choice. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the clinical significance of macroscopic no-margin hepatectomy (MNMH).

METHODS

Among patients undergoing macroscopically curative resection for untreated hepatocellular carcinoma, outcomes were compared between patients undergoing MNMH (n = 87) and those undergoing hepatectomy with a macroscopic margin (n = 192).

RESULTS

MNMH was significantly associated with a longer operation time (P < 0.001), greater intraoperative blood loss (P < 0.001), a greater need for blood transfusion (P = 0.018), a higher incidence of major postoperative complications (P = 0.031), multiple tumors (P = 0.015), tumor capsule formation (P = 0.030), and a microscopically positive surgical margin (P = 0.021). There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of recurrence-free survival (P = 0.946) and overall survival (P = 0.259).

DISCUSSION

MNMH is technically demanding and results more frequently in a microscopically positive surgical margin, however, it can yield a long-term outcome comparable to hepatectomy with a macroscopic margin even in patients with otherwise unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

The Impact of Tumor Differentiation on the Prognosis of HBV-Associated Solitary Hepatocellular Carcinoma Following Hepatectomy: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis

AIM

The role of tumor differentiation in the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after hepatectomy remains controversial. The present study aimed to classify the impact of tumor differentiation on solitary hepatitis B viral (HBV)-associated HCC using propensity score matching analysis.

METHODS

Between January 2009 and March 2015, the data of 721 HCC patients in West China Hospital were prospectively collected and analyzed. Propensity matching analysis was applied to overcome the imbalance in baseline characteristics. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Risk factors were identified by the Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

All HCC patients were classified into the moderately well-differentiated HCCs group (group A, n = 442, 61.3%) or poorly differentiated HCCs group (group B, n = 279, 38.7%). Patients with poorly differentiated HCCs commonly had a larger tumor size, more advanced tumors, and a higher alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level. Patients with poorly differentiated HCCs had a poorer recurrence-free survival and overall survival before and after propensity score matching analysis. Poorly differentiated tumors, positive serum hepatitis B viral e antigen, positive hepatitis B virus deoxyribonucleic acid load, tumor size, microvascular invasion, and AFP > 400 ng/ml were risk factors of a poor outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Our propensity model provided strong evidence that a poorly differentiated tumor had a negative impact on the recurrence and long-term survival of solitary HBV-associated HCCs after curative hepatectomy. Antiviral therapy might improve their prognosis.

No-touch multibipolar radiofrequency ablation vs. surgical resection for solitary hepatocellular carcinoma ranging from 2 to 5 cm

BACKGROUND & AIMS

No-touch multibipolar radiofrequency ablation (NTM-RFA) represents a novel therapy that surpasses standard RFA for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but it has not been compared to surgical resection (SR). We aimed to compare the outcomes of NTM-RFA and SR for intermediate-sized HCC.

METHODS

Between 2012 and 2016, 141 patients with solitary HCC ranging from 2 to 5 cm were treated by NTM-RFA or SR at a single-center. The outcomes of 128 patients were compared after using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW).

RESULTS

Seventy-nine patients had NTM-RFA and 62 had SR. After IPTW, the two groups were well-balanced for most baseline characteristics including tumor size, location, etiology, severity of underlying liver disease and alpha-fetoprotein level. Morbidity was higher (67.9% vs. 50.0%, p = 0.042) and hospital stay was longer (12 [IQR 8-13] vs. 7 [IQR 5-9] days, p <0.001) after SR. Local recurrence rates at one and three years were 5.5% and 10.0% after NTM-RFA and 1.9% and 1.9% after SR, respectively (p = 0.065). The rates of systematized recurrence (within the treated segment or in an adjacent segment within a 2 cm distance from treatment site) were higher after NTM-RFA (7.4% vs. 1.9% at one year, 27.8% vs. 3.3% at three years, p = 0.008). Most patients with recurrence were eligible for rescue treatment, resulting in similar overall survival (86.7% after NTM-RFA, 91.4% after SR at three years, p = 0.954) and disease-free survival (40.8% after NTM-RFA, 56.4% after SR at three years, p = 0.119).

CONCLUSION

Compared to SR, NTM-RFA for solitary intermediate-sized HCC was associated with less morbidity and more systematized recurrence, while the rate of local recurrence was not significantly different. Most patients with intrahepatic recurrence remained eligible for rescue therapies, resulting in equivalent long-term oncological results after both treatments.

LAY SUMMARY

Outcomes of patients treated for intermediate-sized hepatocellular carcinoma by surgical resection or no-touch multibipolar radiofrequency ablation were compared. No-touch multibipolar radiofrequency ablation was associated with a lower overall morbidity and a higher rate of systematized recurrence within the treated segment or in an adjacent segment within a 2 cm distance from the initial tumor site. Most patients with intrahepatic recurrence remained eligible for rescue curative therapy, enabling them to achieve similar long-term oncological results after both treatments.

A meta-analysis of long-term survival outcomes between surgical resection and radiofrequency ablation in patients with single hepatocellular carcinoma ≤ 2 cm (BCLC very early stage)

INTRODUCTION

The optimal management choice in consideration of long-term overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) for patients with BLCL very early stage is a matter of debate.

AIM

A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of liver resection (RES) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for single HCC 2 cm or less.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

The primary sources of the reviewed studies through December 2017, without restriction on the languages or regions, were Pubmed and Embase. The hazard ratio (HR) was used as a summary statistic for long-term outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 5 studies qualified for inclusion in this quantified meta-analysis with a total of 729 HCC patients of BCLC very early stage. Only postoperative 1-year OS was comparable in both RES and RFA groups. As for long-term outcomes of 3-year and 5-year OSs, RES was significantly better than RFA, the HRs were 0.64 (95%CI: 0.41, 1.00; P = 0.05) and 0.63 (95%CI: 0.42, 0.95; P = 0.03) respectively. In terms of postoperative DFS, reduced tumor recurrence was observed in RES, and all the short- and long-terms outcomes were favored RES.

DISCUSSION

RES offers better long-term oncologic outcomes compared with RFA in current clinical evidences.

Central hepatectomy versus major hepatectomy for patients with centrally located hepatocellular carcinoma: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Both central hepatectomy (CH) and major hepatectomy (MH) are suggested surgical treatments for patients with centrally located hepatocellular carcinoma (CL-HCC). However, no consensus has been reached regarding which method is superior for managing these patients. This meta-analysis was conducted to compare the short- and long-term outcomes of CH and MH in patients with CL-HCC.

METHODS

An electronic search for studies published in all years up to July 2017 in PubMed (Medline), EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Web of Science was performed. The short-term outcome was the incidence of postoperative complications, and the long-term outcomes included 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS) and corresponding disease-free survival (DFS), mortality and morbidity. The results were presented as Risk Ratios (RRs) or weighted mean differences with 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

Four retrospective studies containing 465 patients with CL-HCC were included (248 in the CH group and 217 in the MH group). The results suggested no significant differences in the 1-, 3- and 5-year DFS, 1, 3 and 5-year OS, total morbidity or mortality between these groups. Nevertheless, the patients in the CH group presented a lower prevalence of vascular invasion (RR 0.70, 95% CI 0.52-0.93, P = 0.020) than did the MH group. In addition, CH led to a higher incidence of biliary fistula, while MH showed a higher incidence of postoperative liver failure.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that the long-term outcomes of the patients with CL-HCC in these two groups were not significantly different. For short-term outcomes, CH resulted in a lower rate of postoperative liver failure, while MH resulted in a lower incidence of biliary fistula. Nonetheless, compared with MH, CH provided CL-HCC patients with greater future remnant liver volume without an increased risk of early intra-hepatic recurrence. More multi-centre, randomized controlled trials comparing the therapeutic efficacy of CH and MH are urgently warranted.

HabibTM 4X-assisted resection versus clamp-crush resection for hepatocellular carcinoma: a propensity-matching study

Long term outcome of ablation-assisted hepatic resection is unclear for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. This study was scheduled to compare the outcome of Habib 4X ablation assisted resection (Habib group) with clamp-crush resection (CC group) for HCC. In this study, we retrospectively enrolled 81 patients from the Habib group and 103 patients from the CC group. Oncologic outcomes were analyzed using a propensity score matching (PSM) method. Compared with the CC group, the Habib group had higher levels of γ-glutamyltransferase (P=0.044) and albumin (P=0.001), larger tumor sizes (P=0.007), shorter operation times (P=0.001), less blood loss (P=0.005), and less blood transfusions (P=0.038). There were no significant differences in complications (P=0.310), recurrence-free survival rates (RFS, P=0.112), or overall survival rates (OS, P=0.203) between the two groups. For the 67 patient pairs selected from the PSM analysis, the Habib group had better RFS and OS (P=0.033 and P=0.014, respectively). A Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that Habib-assisted resection was an independent factor for RFS and OS (P=0.008 and P=0.016, respectively). Furthermore, for the 42 patients with central and large tumors, the Habib group had better RFS and OS than the CC group (P=0.035 and P=0.038, respectively). However, the differences of RFS and OS (P=0.117 and P=0.126, respectively) were not significant among 92 patients with peripheral or small tumors. Hence, Habib^TM 4X-assisted resection is safe and provides better survival for HCC patients, particularly those with central and large tumors.

Short- and Long-Term Results of Laparoscopic Parenchyma-Sparing Hepatectomy for Small-Sized Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Comparative Study Using Propensity Score Matching Analysis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the degree of invasiveness and the clinical outcomes of laparoscopic parenchyma-sparing hepatectomy (LPSH) for a maximum hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) size ≤5 cm. Sixty-one LPSHs and 175 open parenchyma-sparing hepatectomies (OPSHs) for small-sized HCC were analyzed using a propensity score matching analysis. The median operative time was significantly shorter in the LPSH group (194 min) than in the OPSH group (275 minutes) ( P < 0.0001). The estimated blood loss was significantly lower in the LPSH group (100 mL) than in the OPSH group (380 mL) ( P < 0.0001). The incidences of superficial incisional surgical site infections and respiratory complications were significantly lower in the LPSH group than in the OPSH group ( P = 0.0161 and 0.0285, respectively). During the postoperative course, the white blood cell counts and C-reactive protein levels were significantly lower in the LPSH group. There were no differences in overall survival and disease-free survival ( P = 0.1293 and 0.4039, respectively), and no significant differences in terms of type of recurrence and site of intrahepatic recurrence ( P = 0.1410). The data from the present series suggest the lesser invasiveness and safety of LPSH even for small-sized HCC patients.

A prospective randomized study comparing radiofrequency ablation and hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma

Purpose

Although there are several prospective clinical studies comparing radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and hepatic resection (HR) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma, there are few trials that have been performed in strictly homogeneous patients.

Methods

Patients who were newly diagnosed with a solitary hepatocellular carcinoma were randomized to the HR or RFA group. Inclusion criteria were as follows: age ≥ 20 years but ≤ 70 years, Child-Pugh class A, maximal diameter of the tumor ≥ 2 cm but ≤ 4 cm, no previous treatment history, and platelet count > 80,000/mm³.

Results

Although the study was early terminated, 29 and 34 patients were enrolled in the HR and RFA groups, respectively, and prospectively followed on an intention-to-treat basis. The 5-year overall survival rates were 83.4% and 86.2% in the HR and RFA groups, respectively, which were not significantly different (P = 0.812 by log-rank, P = 0.990 by Breslow). The 3- and 5-year disease-free survival rates in the HR group were significantly superior to those in the RFA group (66.7%, 44.4% vs. 44.1%, 31.2%, P = 0.071 by log-rank, P = 0.023 by Breslow). Intrahepatic local recurrence tended to develop more frequently in the RFA group (P = 0.042), while the frequency of intrahepatic distant and extrahepatic recurrence was similar bet ween the 2 groups. There were no significant differences in the frequency and severity of complications between the 2 groups.

Conclusion

HR was significantly superior to RFA in terms of disease-free survival; however, the overall survival was excellent in both groups.

Correlation between Resection Margin and Disease Recurrence with a Restricted Cubic Spline Model in Patients with Resected Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The relationship between resection margin (RM) and recurrence of resected hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unclear.

METHODS

We reviewed clinical data for 419 patients with HCC. The oncologic outcomes were compared between 2 groups of patients classified according to the inflexion point of the restricted cubic spline plot.

RESULTS

The patients were divided according to an RM of <1 cm (n = 233; narrow RM group) or ≥1 cm (n = 186; wide RM group). The 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate was lower (34.8 vs. 43.8%, p = 0.042) and recurrence near the resection site was more frequent (4.7 vs. 0%, p = 0.010) in the narrow RM group. Patients with multiple lesions, or prior transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) or radiofrequency ablation (RFA) were excluded from subgroup analyses. In patients with a 2-5 cm HCC, the 5-year RFS was greater in the wide RM group (54.4 vs. 32.5%, p = 0.036). Narrow RM (hazard ratio 1.750, 95% CI 1.029-2.976, p = 0.039) was independently associated with disease recurrence.

CONCLUSION

In patients with a single 2-5 cm HCC without prior TACE/RFA, an RM of ≥1 cm was associated with lower risk of recurrence after liver resection.

Laparoscopic vs open hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhosis: A meta-analysis of the long-term survival outcomes

BACKGROUND

In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cirrhosis, laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) confers short-term benefits over open hepatectomy (OH) but the long-term outcomes of this procedure are unclear. This systematic review aims to compare the long-term survival outcomes of LH and OH for patients with HCC and underlying cirrhosis.

METHODS

EMBASE, MEDLINE and Scopus databases were searched from date of inception to 7th October 2016. Controlled clinical studies comparing LH to OH for HCC in cirrhotic patients, which reported long-term overall and disease-free survival were included. The studies were evaluated using the MOOSE guidelines and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Data were extracted and analysed using a fixed-effects model.

RESULTS

Five non-randomised, retrospective observational studies representing 888 patients were included. LH was associated with significantly lower tumour recurrence [OR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.48, 0.89]. LH conferred greater overall survival at 1- [HR: 0.41, 95% CI: 0.25, 0.68], 3- [HR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.46, 0.87] and 5-years [HR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.45, 0.80]. With LH, there was higher disease-free survival at 1-year [HR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.53, 0.96], but not at 3- [HR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.70, 1.14]; and 5-years [HR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.70, 1.04].

CONCLUSIONS

Laparoscopic surgery is associated with comparable postoperative and survival outcomes in patients with HCC and underlying cirrhosis. With careful selection of patients, this approach is safe, feasible and advantageous.

Parecoxib prevents complications in hepatocellular carcinoma patients receiving hepatic transarterial chemoembolization: a prospective score-matched cohort study

Transarterial chemoembolization(TACE) is the palliative treatment of choice for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The 242 patients prospectively enrolled in this study were diagnosed with HCC and received TACE at Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center between October 2014 and March 2015. Patients were divided into study and control groups based on whether parecoxib sodium was administered postoperatively. Postoperative pain, body temperature, vomiting, changes in liver function, physical activity level, length of hospital stay, and tumor control were evaluated. Compared to the control group after propensity score matching, the study group presented less severe postoperative fever. The daily maximum temperatures in the study and control groups were 37.39 vs. 37.82°C on postoperative day 1 (P < 0.001), 37.10 vs. 37.51°C on day 2 (P < 0.001), and 36.90 vs. 37.41°C on day 3 (P < 0.001). The study group also exhibited greater physical activity (P < 0.05) and had shorter hospital stays (7.21 days vs. 7.92 days, P = 0.041). There were no differences in pain scores. Thus administration of parecoxib sodium to HCC patients after TACE effectively relieved fever, promoted postoperative recovery, and shortened the hospital stay.

Preoperative Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9: Its Neglected Role in Alpha-Fetoprotein-Negative Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients

PURPOSE

The study aimed to investigate the prognostic role of the preoperative carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) level in alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-negative (AFP < 25 ng/ml) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients.

METHODS

From December 2004 to December 2013, 750 patients diagnosed with AFP-negative HCC following curative resection were enrolled. Both univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to clarify the prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS).

RESULTS

The optimal cutoff point for preoperative CA19-9 was 32.6 U/ml, and the value of the area under the curve was 0.640. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 88.4, 72.2, and 57.0%, respectively, for the CA19-9 > 32.6 U/ml group and 97.0, 83.3, and 79.9%, respectively, for the CA19-9 ≤ 32.6 U/ml group (P < 0.001). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year DFS rates were 71.8, 47.7, and 34.8%, respectively, for the CA19-9 > 32.6 U/ml group and 80.8, 63.6, and 55.5%, respectively, for the CA19-9 ≤ 32.6 U/ml group (P < 0.001). The multivariate analysis showed that CA19-9 > 32.6 U/ml was one of the most significant unfavorable predictors of OS and DFS (P < 0.001 for both).

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative CA19-9 > 32.6 U/ml is a predictor of dismal prognosis and can be employed as a prognostic marker for patient selection in AFP-negative HCC management.

Evaluation of hepatocellular carcinoma spread via the portal system by 3-dimensional mapping

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

The pattern of tumor cell spread via the portal system has not been fully clarified in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to evaluate the intrahepatic distribution of cancer cells derived from the main tumor by assessing histological portal invasion and/or intrahepatic metastasis (vp/im).

METHODS

In 14 patients who underwent anatomical resection of primary solitary HCC ≤ 50 mm in diameter, vp/im were examined pathologically, and the sites of the lesions were reproduced on preoperative 3D-CT images. The number of vp/im and the distance of each lesion from the tumor margin were also determined.

RESULTS

The tumor diameter was <30 mm in seven patients (smaller HCCs) and 30-50 mm in seven patients (larger HCCs). 3D mapping revealed that almost all vp/im were localized to the peritumoral area within one cm of the tumor margin in smaller HCCs, whereas vp/im seemed to spread extensively to the feeding 3rd level portal branches in larger HCCs. The number of vp/im was greater in patients with larger HCCs than in those with smaller HCCs.

CONCLUSIONS

3D mapping suggested tumor cells of HCC spread via the portal vein extensively in several cases.

Prognostic impact of surgical margin in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Surgical margin is an important prognostic factor in hepatectomy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). But the extent of surgical margins is still controversial. Our study was designed to systematically evaluate the prognosis of different width of resection margin.

METHODS

We conducted comprehensive searches of electronic databases including PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, and the ISI Web of Science for relevant studies. A meta-analysis was performed by RevMan 5.3 software.

RESULTS

A total of 7 studies comprising 1932 patients were included. The patients with wider surgical margin were significantly higher than those with narrow surgical margin on 3-year overall survival (odds ratio [OR]: 1.58, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.21-2.06, P = .0008), 5-year overall survival (OR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.20-2.59, P = .004), 1-year disease-free survival (DFS)/recurrence-free survival (RFS) (OR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.12-1.82, P = .005), 3-year DFS/RFS (OR: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.35-2.03, P < .00001), and 5-year DFS/RFS (OR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.37-2.08, P < .00001). There was no significant difference in the 1-year overall survival rate for the 2 groups (OR: 1.24, 95% CI: 0.89-1.72, P = .20).

CONCLUSION

In comparison with the narrow surgical margin group (<1 cm), the wide surgical margin (≥1 cm) can significantly improve the prognosis in patients with HCC.

Postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy is associated with improved survival in hepatocellular carcinoma with microvascular invasion

Purpose

Limited studies have compared the efficacy of postoperative adjuvant therapies in HCC patients with microvascular invasion (MVI). In this study we assess the efficacy of postoperative adjuvant conservative therapy (CT), trans-catheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and radiotherapy (RT) in HCC patients with MVI.

Results

Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that patients in the RT group have significantly improved RFS (RT vs TACE: p = 0.011; RT vs CT: p < 0.001) and OS (RT vs. TACE: p = 0.034; RT vs CT: P < 0.001) compared to TACE and CT groups. Further, subgroup analysis based on the degree of MVI and surgical margin width showed that patients with narrow surgical margin have significantly longer RFS and OS after adjuvant RT than the TACE and CT, independent of degree of MVI. Multivariate analysis indicated that MVI classification is the independent prognostic factor associated with RFS and OS.

Materials and Methods

Between July 2008 and December 2015, 136 HCC patients with MVI were divided into three groups according to their adjuvant therapies. Survival outcomes namely relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) of the three groups were analyzed.

Conclusions

Adjuvant radiotherapy following hepatectomy could result in better survival outcomes for HCC patients with MVI than TACE or CT.

An Update on Randomized Clinical Trials in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a common malignancy that typically occurs in the setting of comorbid liver disease. Optimal management is challenging, especially given the assortment of available treatment modalities. This article reviews the randomized clinical trials that have formed the basis of contemporary hepatocellular carcinoma management.

Prediction of microvascular invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma with preoperative diffusion-weighted imaging: A comparison of mean and minimum apparent diffusion coefficient values

The aim of the study was to investigate the value of preoperative diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in predicting microvascular invasion (MVI) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), using and comparing mean and minimum apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values.Preoperative MR images of 318 patients with HCC confirmed by surgical pathology were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent preoperative DWI on a 1.5 Tesla MRI scanner. The mean and minimum ADC values of the tumors were measured. Interobserver agreements were assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The ADC values were compared in HCCs between with and without MVI. ROC curves of ADC values were obtained and then compared in distinguishing HCCs with MVI from those without MVI.There were 211 HCCs with MVI and 107 HCCs without MVI. ICC for the measurements of the mean and minimum ADC values between both observers was 0.88 (95% CI 0.85 - 0.90) and 0.88 (95% CI 0.85 - 0.90), respectively. The mean and minimum ADC values of HCCs with MVI were lower than those of HCCs without MVI (P = .00, .00, respectively). With a cut-off value of 0.98 × 10 mm/s, the minimum ADC (MinADC) showed a sensitivity of 62.56% and a specificity of 65.42% in predicting MVI, whereas the mean ADC provided a sensitivity of 79.15% and a specificity of 50.47% with a cut-off value of 1.19 × 10 mm/s. No significant difference existed between MinADC and mean ADC for their diagnostic performances in the prediction of MVI (P = .48).DWI could preoperatively provide quantitative parameters for predicting MVI of HCC.

A double blinded prospective randomized trial comparing the effect of anatomic versus non-anatomic resection on hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of anatomic resection (AR) versus non-anatomic resection (NAR) on recurrence rates in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

Eligible patients were randomized to AR or NAR from January 2006 to July 2007 at a single center. The primary outcome was the 2-year recurrence-free survival (RFS). Secondary outcomes were postoperative complications, time to first recurrence, 1-, 3-, and 5-year RFS, and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

Fifty-three (51%) and 52 (50%) patients underwent NAR and AR, respectively. A larger proportion of patients achieved margins ≥20 mm in the AR group (52% vs. 30%; P = 0.023). Complications (blood loss, transfusion requirement, and hospital stay) were similar between the two groups. Median follow-up was 33 (range, 2-77) months. Incidence of local recurrence at 2 years was 30% and 59% in the AR and NAR groups, respectively. Median time to first local recurrence in the AR group was significantly longer than in the NAR group (53 vs. 10 months, P = 0.010). There was no difference in overall RFS between the two groups (P = 0.290).

DISCUSSION

AR decreased the 2-year local recurrence rate and increased the time to first local recurrence compared to NAR in patients with HCC.