Racial, social, and clinical determinants of hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance

Clinician-Level Knowledge and Barriers to Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance

Importance

Surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with cirrhosis is underused. Identifying potentially modifiable factors to address barriers in HCC surveillance is critical to improve patient outcomes.

Objective

To evaluate clinician-level factors contributing to underuse of HCC surveillance in patients with cirrhosis.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This survey study included primary care clinicians (PCCs) and gastroenterology and hepatology clinicians at 5 safety-net health systems in the US. Clinicians were surveyed from March 15 to September 15, 2023, to assess knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, perceived barriers, and COVID-19-related disruptions in HCC surveillance in patients with cirrhosis. Data were analyzed from October to November 2023.

Main Outcome and Measures

HCC surveillance knowledge was assessed with 6 questions querying the respondent's ability to correctly identify appropriate use of HCC surveillance. Attitudes, perceived barriers, and beliefs regarding HCC surveillance and perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic-related disruptions with HCC surveillance were assessed with a series of statements using a 4-point Likert scale and compared PCCs and gastroenterology and hepatology clinicians.

Results

Overall, 347 of 1362 clinicians responded to the survey (25.5% response rate), among whom 142 of 237 (59.9%) were PCCs, 48 of 237 (20.3%) gastroenterology and hepatology, 190 of 236 (80.5%) were doctors of medicine and doctors of osteopathic medicine, and 46 of 236 (19.5%) were advanced practice clinicians. On HCC knowledge assessment, 144 of 270 (53.3%) scored 5 or more of 6 questions correctly, 37 of 48 (77.1%) among gastroenterology and hepatology vs 65 of 142 (45.8%) among PCCs (P < .001). Those with higher HCC knowledge scores were less likely to report barriers to HCC surveillance. PCCs were more likely to report inadequate time to discuss HCC surveillance (37 of 139 [26.6%] vs 2 of 48 [4.2%]; P = .001), difficulty identifying patients with cirrhosis (82 of 141 [58.2%] vs 5 of 48 [10.4%]; P < .001), and were not up-to-date with HCC surveillance guidelines (87 of 139 [62.6%] vs 5 of 48 [10.4%]; P < .001) compared with gastroenterology and hepatology clinicians. While most acknowledged delays during the COVID-19 pandemic, 62 of 136 PCCs (45.6%) and 27 of 45 gastroenterology and hepatology clinicians (60.0%) reported that patients with cirrhosis could currently complete HCC surveillance without delays.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this survey study, important gaps in knowledge and perceived barriers to HCC surveillance were identified. Effective delivery of HCC education to PCCs and health system-level interventions must be pursued in parallel to address the complex barriers affecting suboptimal HCC surveillance in patients with cirrhosis.

Proportion of Time Covered by Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance in Patients With Cirrhosis

INTRODUCTION

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance is associated with improved early tumor detection, but effectiveness is limited by underuse. We characterized adherence to HCC surveillance using proportion of time covered (PTC) and estimated its association with clinical outcomes among patients with cirrhosis.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with HCC between January 2008 and December 2022 at 2 large US health systems. We characterized PTC by imaging in the 12 and 24 months before HCC diagnosis. We used multivariable logistic and Cox regression analyses to assess the association between PTC and early HCC detection, receipt of curative treatment, and overall survival.

RESULTS

Among 2,027 patients with HCC, 331 (51.4% Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer 0/A) had been followed up for at least 12 months before diagnosis. The median PTC was 24.9% (interquartile range 1.1%-50.7%), with only 16.0% having semiannual imaging and 42.0% having annual surveillance. Semiannual and annual surveillance decreased to 6.3% and 29.6% when assessed over 24 months, although the median PTC remained unchanged at 24.9%. Receipt of gastroenterology/hepatology care had the strongest association with PTC, with median PTC of 36.7% and 3.8% for those with and without gastroenterology/hepatology care, respectively. PTC was independently associated with improved early HCC detection, curative treatment receipt, and overall survival. The median survival was 15.7, 26.8, and 32.7 months among those with PTC of <25% (n = 168 patients), PTC 25%-50% (n = 69 patients), and PTC >50% (n = 94 patients), respectively.

DISCUSSION

The proportion of time covered by HCC surveillance in patients with cirrhosis remains low, highlighting a need for multilevel interventions.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment Receipt in the United States: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Racial and ethnic disparities in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prognosis exist, partly related to differential failures along the cancer care continuum. We characterized racial and ethnic disparities in treatment receipt among patients with HCC in the United States.

METHODS

We searched Medline, Embase, and CINAHL databases to identify studies published between January 2012 and March 2022 reporting HCC treatment receipt among adult patients with HCC, stratified by race or ethnicity. We calculated pooled odds ratios for HCC treatment using random effects models.

RESULTS

We identified 15 studies with 320,686 patients (65.8% White, 13.9% Black, 10.4% Asian, and 8.5% Hispanic). Overall, 33.2% of HCC patients underwent any treatment, and 22.7% underwent curative treatment. Compared with White patients, Black patients had lower odds of any treatment (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.55-0.81) and curative treatment (OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.71-0.78). Similarly, Hispanic patients had lower pooled odds of curative treatment (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.73-0.84).

CONCLUSIONS

There were significant racial and ethnic disparities in HCC treatment receipt, with Black patients having lower odds of receiving any and curative treatment while Hispanic patients having lower odds of curative treatment.

IMPACT

Racial and ethnic differences in treatment receipt serve as an intervention target to reduce disparities in HCC prognosis.

Most deprived Louisiana census tracts have higher hepatocellular carcinoma incidence and worse survival

Background

Liver cancer incidence increased in the US from 1975 through 2015 with heterogeneous rates across subpopulations. Upstream or distal area-level factors impact liver cancer risks.

Objective

The aim of this study was to examine the association between area-level deprivation and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence and survival. We also explored the association between area deprivation and treatment modalities.

Methods

Louisiana Tumor Registry identified 4,151 adult patients diagnosed with malignant HCC from 2011 to 2020 and linked residential address to census tract (CT)-level Area Deprivation Index (ADI) categorized into quartiles (Q1 = least deprived). ANOVA examined the association between ADI quartile and CT age-adjusted incidence rate (AAIR) per 100,000. Chi-square tested the distribution of demographic and clinical characteristics across ADI quartiles. Kaplan-Meier and proportional hazard models evaluated survival by deprivation quartile.

Results

Among the 1,084 CTs with incident HCC, the average (SD) AAIR was 8.02 (7.05) HCC cases per 100,000 population. ADI was observed to be associated with incidence, and the mean (SD) AAIR increased from 5.80 (4.75) in Q1 to 9.26 (7.88) in Q4. ADI was also associated with receipt of surgery (p < 0.01) and radiation (p < 0.01) but not chemotherapy (p = 0.15). However, among those who received chemotherapy, people living in the least deprived areas began treatment approximately 10 days sooner than those living in other quartiles. Q4 patients experienced the worst survival with a median of 247 (95% CI 211-290) days vs. Q1 patients with a median of 474 (95% CI 407-547) days (p < 0.0001). Q4 had marginally poorer survival (HR 1.20, 1.05-1.37) than Q1 but the association became non-significant (HR 1.12, 0.96-1.30) when adjusted for rurality, liquor store density, sex, race/ethnicity, age, insurance, BMI, stage, hepatitis diagnosis, and comorbidities.

Conclusion

Increasing neighborhood (CT) deprivation (ADI) was observed to be associated with increased HCC incidence and poorer HCC survival. However, the association with poorer survival becomes attenuated after adjusting for putative confounders.

Community-Level Factors Associated with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Incidence and Mortality: An Observational Registry Study

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence and outcomes vary across populations in the United States, but few studies evaluate local drivers of observed disparities. We measured HCC incidence at the community level and assessed community-level HCC risk factors with the goal of informing resource allocation to improve early case detection, which is associated with improved outcomes.

METHODS

Clinical and demographic data including census tract of residence for all adults diagnosed with HCC in the Connecticut Tumor Registry between 2008 and 2019 were combined with publicly available U.S. Census and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data at the ZIP Code tabulation area (ZCTA) level. The average annual incidence of HCC was calculated for each ZCTA and associations between community-level characteristics, HCC incidence, stage at diagnosis, and survival were evaluated.

RESULTS

Average annual HCC incidence during the study period was 8.9/100,000 adults and varied from 0 to 97.7 per 100,000 adults by ZCTA. At the community level, lower rates of high school graduation, higher rates of poverty, and rural community type were associated with higher HCC incidence. Persons with HCC living in the highest incidence ZCTAs were diagnosed at a younger age and were less likely to be alive at 1, 2, and 5 years after diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Community-level socioeconomic factors are strongly associated with HCC incidence and survival in Connecticut.

IMPACT

This reproducible geo-localization approach using cancer registry, Census, and CDC data can be used to identify communities most likely to benefit from health system investments to reduce disparities in HCC.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance Patterns and Outcomes in Patients With Cirrhosis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance is associated with improved early detection and reduced mortality, although practice patterns and effectiveness vary in clinical practice. We aimed to characterize HCC surveillance patterns in a large, diverse cohort of patients with HCC.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with HCC between January 2008 and December 2022 at 2 large US health systems. We recorded imaging receipt in the year before HCC diagnosis: ultrasound plus α-fetoprotein (AFP), ultrasound alone, multiphasic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and no liver imaging. We used multivariable logistic and Cox regression analysis to compare early tumor detection, curative treatment receipt, and overall survival between surveillance strategies.

RESULTS

Among 2028 patients with HCC (46.7% Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage A), 703 (34.7%) had ultrasound plus AFP, 293 (14.5%) had ultrasound alone, 326 (16.1%) had multiphasic CT/MRI, and 706 (34.8%) had no imaging in the year before HCC diagnosis. Over the study period, proportions without imaging were stable, whereas use of CT/MRI increased. Compared with no imaging, CT/MRI and ultrasound plus AFP, but not ultrasound alone, were associated with early stage HCC detection and curative treatment. Compared with ultrasound alone, CT/MRI and ultrasound plus AFP were associated with increased early stage detection.

CONCLUSIONS

HCC surveillance patterns vary in clinical practice and are associated with differing clinical outcomes. While awaiting data to determine if CT or MRI surveillance can be performed in a cost-effective manner in selected patients, AFP has a complementary role to ultrasound-based surveillance, supporting its adoption in practice guidelines.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance: Evidence-Based Tailored Approach

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance is recommended by professional society guidelines given a consistent association with reduced HCC-related mortality. HCC surveillance should be performed using semiannual abdominal ultrasound and alpha-fetoprotein, although this combination has suboptimal sensitivity and can miss more than one-third of HCC at an early stage. There are promising emerging blood-based and imaging-based strategies, including abbreviated MRI and biomarker panels; however, these require further validation before routine use in clinical practice. HCC surveillance is underused in clinical practice due to patient-related and provider-related barriers, highlighting a need for interventions to improve surveillance utilization in clinical practice.

Global trends in hepatocellular carcinoma epidemiology: implications for screening, prevention and therapy

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) mortality rates are increasing globally, and particularly in the Western world. Cirrhosis remains the predominant risk factor for HCC. However, epidemiological shifts in the incidence of HCC from patients with virus-related liver disease to those with non-viral aetiologies, including alcohol-associated and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, have important implications for prevention, surveillance and treatment. Hepatitis B vaccination and antiviral therapy for hepatitis B and C are effective for primary prevention of virus-related HCCs, but chemoprevention strategies for non-viral liver disease remain an unmet need. Emerging data suggest associations between aspirin, statins, metformin and coffee and reduced HCC incidence, although none has been proved to be causally related. Secondary prevention of HCC via semi-annual surveillance is associated with improvements in early detection and thus reduced mortality; however, current tools, including abdominal ultrasonography, have suboptimal sensitivity for the detection of early stage HCC, particularly in patients with obesity and/or non-viral liver disease. Promising blood-based or imaging-based surveillance strategies are emerging, although these approaches require further validation before adoption in clinical practice. In the interim, efforts should be focused on maximizing use of the existing surveillance tools given their prevalent underuse globally. Remarkable advances have been made in the treatment of HCC, including expanded eligibility for surgical therapies, improved patient selection for locoregional treatments and increased systemic treatment options, including immune-checkpoint inhibitors. In this Review, we discuss trends in the epidemiology of HCC and their implications for screening, prevention and therapy.

A Review of Healthcare Disparities Relevant to Interventional Radiology

Racial, ethnic, and gender disparities have received focused attention recently, as they became more visible in the COVID era. We continue to learn more about how healthcare disparities manifest for our patients and, more broadly, the structural underpinnings that result in predictable outcomes gaps. This review summarizes what we know about disparities relevant to interventional radiologists. The prevalence and magnitude of disparities are quantified and discussed where relevant. Specific examples are provided to demonstrate how factors like gender, ethnicity, social status, geography, etc. interact to create inequities in the delivery of interventional radiology (IR) care. Understanding and addressing health disparities in IR is crucial for improving real-world patient outcomes and reducing the economic burden associated with ineffective and low-value care. Finally, the importance of intentional mentorship, outreach, education, and equitable distribution of high-quality healthcare to mitigate these disparities and promote health equity in interventional radiology is discussed.

Sex and Race Disparities in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B During COVID-19: A Single-Center Retrospective Review

Background

The management of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is complex and spans multiple medical specialties. As a result of this complexity, patients with CHB often do not receive adequate monitoring including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance with abdominal ultrasonography. Previous studies have identified multiple factors associated with decreased HCC surveillance. We aimed to identify the impact of race and sex on HCC surveillance in patients with CHB.

Methods

We performed a single health system chart review between January 2018 and January 2022. Differences between sex and race were evaluated using the Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test, and continuous variables were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Results

A total of 248 patient records between January 2018 and January 2022 were evaluated. In total 37% of females were adequately screened for HCC in any of the 6-month time frames compared to 26% of males. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) surge, surveillance rates were reduced in both men and women. During the first 6 months of the COVID-19 surge, there was a significant difference in screening between men and women (19% vs. 35%, P = 0.026). There was a decrease in HCC screening across all races during the COVID-19 surge; however, no significant difference when comparing races was found.

Conclusion

Men received less HCC surveillance compared to women. These differences were more pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic surge. Obtaining appropriate surveillance is important and retrospective evaluations can help us determine the presence of health-related social needs so that progress can be made toward achieving health equity.

The road to pandemic recovery: Tracking COVID-19's impact on cirrhosis care and outcomes among 111,558 Veterans

BACKGROUND AIMS

This study aimed to evaluate quarterly trends in process and health outcomes among Veterans with cirrhosis and assess the factors associated with cirrhosis outcomes before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

APPROACH RESULTS

US Veterans with cirrhosis were identified using the Veterans Health Administration Corporate Data Warehouse. Quarterly measures were evaluated from September 30, 2018, through March 31, 2022, including twice yearly screening for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC-6), new HCC, surveillance for or treatment of esophageal varices, variceal bleeding, all-cause hospitalization, and mortality. Joinpoint analyses were used to assess the changes in trends over time. Logistic regression models were used to identify the demographic and medical factors associated with each outcome over time. Among 111,558 Veterans with cirrhosis with a mean Model for End-stage Liver Disease-Sodium of 11±5, rates of HCC-6 sharply declined from a prepandemic peak of 41%, to a nadir of 28%, and rebounded to 36% by March 2022. All-cause mortality did not significantly change over the pandemic, but new HCC diagnosis, EVST, variceal bleeding, and all-cause hospitalization significantly declined over follow-up. Quarterly HCC diagnosis declined from 0.49% to 0.38%, EVST from 50% to 41%, variceal bleeding from 0.15% to 0.11%, and hospitalization from 9% to 5%. Rurality became newly, significantly associated with nonscreening over the pandemic (aOR for HCC-6=0.80, 95% CI 0.74 to 0.86; aOR for EVST=0.95, 95% CI 0.90 to 0.997).

CONCLUSIONS

The pandemic continues to impact cirrhosis care. Identifying populations at the highest risk of care disruptions may help to address ongoing areas of need.

Patient-, Provider-, and System-Level Barriers to Surveillance for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in High-Risk Patients in the USA: a Scoping Review

PURPOSE

Hepatocellular carcinoma has a dismal prognosis, except in patients diagnosed early who are candidates for potentially curative therapies. Most HCC cases develop in patients with chronic liver disease. Therefore, expert society guidelines recommend surveillance every 6 months with ultrasound with or without serum alpha-fetoprotein for high-risk patients. However, fewer than 20% of patients in the USA undergo appropriate surveillance.

METHODS

A systematic scoping review was performed with the objective of identifying barriers to screening among high-risk patients in the USA including mapping key concepts in the relevant literature, identifying the main sources and types of evidence available, and identifying gaps in the literature. A total of 43 studies published from 2007 to 2021 were included. Data were extracted and a conceptual framework was created.

RESULTS

Assessment of quantitative studies revealed poor surveillance rates, often below 50%. Three categories of barriers to surveillance were identified: patient-level, provider-level, and system-level barriers. Prevalent patient-level barriers included financial constraints, lack of awareness of surveillance recommendations, and scheduling difficulties. Common provider-level barriers were lack of provider awareness of guidelines for surveillance, difficulty accessing specialty resources, and time constraints in the clinic. System-level barriers included fewer clinic visits and rural/safety-net settings. Proposed interventions include improved patient/provider education, patient navigators, increased community/academic collaboration, and EMR-based reminders.

CONCLUSION

Based on these findings, there is a crucial need to implement and evaluate proposed interventions to improve HCC surveillance.

Is There Really a Difference in Outcomes between Men and Women with Hepatocellular Cancer?

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a male-dominated disease. Currently, gender differences remain incompletely defined. Data from the state tumor registry were used to investigate differences in demographics, comorbidities, treatment patterns, and cancer-specific survival (HSS) among HCC patients according to gender. Additional analyses were performed to evaluate racial differences among women with HCC. 2627 patients with HCC were included; 498 (19%) were women. Women were mostly white (58%) or African American (39%)-only 3.8% were of another or unknown race. Women were older (65.1 vs. 61.3 years), more obese (33.7% vs. 24.2%), and diagnosed at an earlier stage (31.7% vs. 28.4%) than men. Women had a lower incidence of liver associated comorbidities (36.1% vs. 43%), and more often underwent liver-directed surgery (LDS; 27.5% vs. 22%). When controlling for LDS, no survival differences were observed between genders. African American women had similar HSS rates compared to white women (HR 1.14 (0.91,1.41), p = 0.239) despite having different residential and treatment geographical distributions. African American race and age >65 were predictive for worse HSS in men, but not in women. Overall, women with HCC undergo more treatment options-likely because of the earlier stage of the cancer and/or less severe underlying liver disease. However, when controlling for similar stages and treatments, HCC treatment outcomes were similar between men and women. African American race did not appear to influence outcomes among women with HCC as it did in men.

Ethnic disparities in the epidemiology, treatment, and outcome of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in the United States

There are significant ethnic disparities in incidence, tumor stage, curative therapy receipt, and survival among patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the US. While previous models had predicted an increasing trend in the incidence rate of HCC until 2030 in the US, recent studies have shown that HCC incidence plateaued in 2013 and then started to decline in 2015. The decreasing trend has been observed in all ethnicities except for American Indians/Alaska Natives, whose incidence rates of HCC continue to rise. Current evidence shows that African-Americans and Hispanics are two groups that are more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage HCC, and this finding has been consistent in different socioeconomic statuses of the patients. These two ethnic minority groups are also among those who are less likely to have curative therapy for early-stage HCC. Finally, advances in early diagnosis and treatment approaches have led to an improvement in HCC survival for all ethnicities; however, African-Americans continue to have the worst survival. More studies to find the causes of these disparities and interventions to eliminate them are urgently needed.

Neighborhood-Level Factors Contribute to Disparities in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Incidence in Texas

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Texas has the highest hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence rates in the continental United States, but these rates vary by race-ethnicity. We examined racial-ethnic disparities through a geospatial analysis of the social determinants of health.

METHODS

Using data from the Texas Cancer Registry, we assembled 11,547 HCC cases diagnosed between 2011 and 2015 into Texas's census tracts geographic units. Twenty-nine neighborhood measures representing demographics and socioeconomic, and employment domains were retrieved from the U.S. Census Bureau. We performed a series of aspatial and spatially weighted regression models to identify neighborhood-level characteristics associated with HCC risk.

RESULTS

We found positive associations between HCC and proportion of population in census tracts that are Black or African American, Hispanic, over 60 years of age, in the construction industry, and in the service occupation but an inverse association with the proportion of population employed in the agricultural industry. The magnitude of these associations varied across Texas census tracts.

CONCLUSIONS

We found evidence that neighborhood-level factors are differentially associated with variations in HCC incidence across Texas. Our findings reinforce existing knowledge about HCC risk factors and expose others, including neighborhood-level employment status.

Adherence to guideline-directed hepatocellular carcinoma screening: A single-center US experience

BACKGROUND

The American Association for the Study of Liver Disease recommends screening patients with cirrhosis for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using imaging with or without alpha-fetoprotein every six months. Unfortunately, screening rates remain inadequate.

AIM

To assess root causes of screening failure in a subspecialty hepatology clinic.

METHODS

The authors identified patients with cirrhosis seen in a subspecialty hepatology clinic and determined whether they underwent appropriate screening, defined as two cross-sectional images between five and seven months apart. The authors characterized the primary driver of screening failure. Finally, other hepatologists were surveyed to determine provider perceptions of screening failure causes.

RESULTS

1034 patients were identified with an average age of 61 years and a mean MELD of 8.1 ± 3.8. Hepatitis C virus was the most common cirrhosis etiology. 489 (47%) underwent appropriate screening. No demographic or clinical differences were detected between those who underwent appropriate screening and those who did not. The most common etiologies of screening failure, in descending order, were: radiology unable to schedule timely imaging, provider did not order imaging, patient canceled follow up appointment, appointments scheduled too far apart, lost to follow up, no-show to radiology appointment, and provider canceled appointment. Hepatologists surveyed believed the most common cause of screening failure was no-show to radiology.

CONCLUSION

Rates of screening were poor even in a subspecialty hepatology clinic. Screening failure was mostly due to systemic factors such as radiology availability and time between hepatology appointments rather than individual error.

Disparities in the Receipt of Recommended Curative Treatment for Patients with Early-Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

In early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the receipt of recommended care is critical for long-term survival. Unfortunately, not all patients decide to undergo therapy. We sought to identify factors associated with the decision to decline recommended intervention among patients with early-stage HCC.

METHODS

The National Cancer Database was queried for patients diagnosed with clinical stages I and II HCC (2004-2017). Cohorts were created based on the receipt or decline of recommended interventions-hepatectomy, liver transplantation, and ablation. Multivariable logistic regression identified predictors for declining intervention, and propensity score analysis was used to calculate the respective odds. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

Of 20,863 patients, 856 (4.1%) declined intervention. Patients who were documented as having declined intervention were more often Black (vs. other: OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1-1.6; p = 0.0038), had Medicaid or no insurance (vs. Private, Medicare, or other government insurance): OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.6-2.3; p < 0.0001), lived in a low-income area (vs. other: OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.2-1.7; p < 0.0001), and received treatment at a non-academic center (vs. academic: OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.9-2.5; p < 0.0001). Patients who declined recommended interventions had worse survival compared to those who received treatment (22.9 vs. 59.2 months; p < 0.0001, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Racial and socioeconomic disparities persist in the decision to undergo recommended treatment. Underutilization of treatment acts as a barrier to addressing racial and socioeconomic disparities in early-stage HCC outcomes.

Detecting Liver Cancer Using Cell-Free DNA Fragmentomes

Liver cancer is a major cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Screening individuals at high risk, including those with cirrhosis and viral hepatitis, provides an avenue for improved survival, but current screening methods are inadequate. In this study, we used whole-genome cell-free DNA (cfDNA) fragmentome analyses to evaluate 724 individuals from the United States, the European Union, or Hong Kong with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or who were at average or high-risk for HCC. Using a machine learning model that incorporated multifeature fragmentome data, the sensitivity for detecting cancer was 88% in an average-risk population at 98% specificity and 85% among high-risk individuals at 80% specificity. We validated these results in an independent population. cfDNA fragmentation changes reflected genomic and chromatin changes in liver cancer, including from transcription factor binding sites. These findings provide a biological basis for changes in cfDNA fragmentation in patients with liver cancer and provide an accessible approach for noninvasive cancer detection.

SIGNIFICANCE

There is a great need for accessible and sensitive screening approaches for HCC worldwide. We have developed an approach for examining genome-wide cfDNA fragmentation features to provide a high-performing and cost-effective approach for liver cancer detection. See related commentary Rolfo and Russo, p. 532. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 517.

Unrecognized liver cirrhosis is common and associated with worse survival in hepatocellular carcinoma: A nationwide cohort study of 3473 patients

BACKGROUND

Data on unrecognized liver cirrhosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are derived mainly from cohorts with a risk of selection bias.

OBJECTIVES

In a population-based cohort study we aimed to determine the proportion, characteristics, and prognosis of HCC in patients with unrecognized cirrhosis.

METHODS

Using the Swedish quality register for liver cancer and other nationwide registers, we identified all adults with HCC in Sweden between 2012 and 2018 (n = 3,473).

RESULTS

The final study cohort comprised 2670 patients with established cirrhosis, of which 1033 (39%) had unrecognized cirrhosis at HCC diagnosis. These patients were more often male, older, and had larger tumors, multinodular cancer, portal vein thrombosis, and extrahepatic metastasis compared to patients with known cirrhosis with HCC and under surveillance (34%). Compared to surveilled patients, those with unrecognized cirrhosis had worse median survival (0.89 years, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.78-1.01 vs. 3.79 years, 95%CI = 3.19-4.39), and an adjusted hazard ratio of 2.36 (95%CI = 2.09-2.66). Patients with cirrhosis but not under surveillance (27%) and patients with unrecognized cirrhosis had similar characteristics, such as equal proportions diagnosed at late stage (79%).

CONCLUSIONS

Cirrhosis is often not recognized in patients with HCC. Unrecognized cirrhosis is associated with more advanced HCC at diagnosis and a worse prognosis. More efforts are needed to diagnose cirrhosis at an earlier stage.

Identifying Patients at Risk for Fibrosis in a Primary Care NAFLD Cohort

GOALS AND BACKGROUND

Using natural language processing to create a nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) cohort in primary care, we assessed advanced fibrosis risk with the Fibrosis-4 Index (FIB-4) and NAFLD Fibrosis Score (NFS) and evaluated risk score agreement.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this retrospective study of adults with radiographic evidence of hepatic steatosis, we calculated patient-level FIB-4 and NFS scores and categorized them by fibrosis risk. Risk category and risk score agreement was analyzed using weighted κ, Pearson correlation, and Bland-Altman analysis. A multinomial logistic regression model evaluated associations between clinical variables and discrepant FIB-4 and NFS results.

RESULTS

Of the 767 patient cohorts, 71% had a FIB-4 or NFS score in the indeterminate-risk or high-risk category for fibrosis. Risk categories disagreed in 43%, and scores would have resulted in different clinical decisions in 30% of the sample. The weighted κ statistic for risk category agreement was 0.41 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.36-0.46] and the Pearson correlation coefficient for log FIB-4 and NFS was 0.66 (95% CI: 0.62-0.70). The multinomial logistic regression analysis identified black race (odds ratio=2.64, 95% CI: 1.84-3.78) and hemoglobin A1c (odds ratio=1.37, 95% CI: 1.23-1.52) with higher odds of having an NFS risk category exceeding FIB-4.

CONCLUSIONS

In a primary care NAFLD cohort, many patients had elevated FIB-4 and NFS risk scores and these risk categories were often in disagreement. The choice between FIB-4 and NFS for fibrosis risk assessment can impact clinical decision-making and may contribute to disparities of care.

Insurance Status Correlates with Access to Procedural Therapy for Patients with Early-Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Retrospective Cohort Study of the National Cancer Database

PURPOSE

To compare access to specific procedural therapies across insurance types for patients with American Joint Commission on Cancer (AJCC) Stage I or II hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Using the National Cancer Database, patients diagnosed with Stage I or II HCC between 2004 and 2019 were identified. Parametric and nonparametric testing was used to compare the rates of procedural modalities and time to therapy across insurance types. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify the likelihood of receiving specific procedural therapy based on insurance status.

RESULTS

In total, 105,703 patients with AJCC Stage I or II HCC were identified. The rates of ablative therapy were similar across insurance types (18.1% total, 17.2% private insurance, 15.3% uninsured, 18.1% Medicaid, and 18.8% Medicare). In the logistic regression analysis, patients with private insurance were more likely to receive a transplant or undergo resection or procedural therapy of any kind. Patients with Medicare insurance were more likely to undergo ablation (odds ratio, 1.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-1.15; P < .001) than those with private insurance.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with private insurance were more likely to receive most forms of procedural therapy for early-stage HCC, with the notable exception of ablative therapy, which patients with Medicare were slightly more likely to receive.

Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial of a Mailed Outreach Strategy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance

BACKGROUND

The effectiveness of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance is mitigated by underuse in clinical practice, highlighting a need for interventions. We evaluated the effectiveness of mailed HCC surveillance outreach to promote HCC surveillance in patients with cirrhosis.

METHODS

We conducted a multicenter pragmatic randomized clinical trial comparing mailed outreach for surveillance ultrasound (n = 1436) and usual care with visit-based surveillance (n = 1436) among patients with cirrhosis at 3 health systems (tertiary care referral center, safety net health system, and Veterans Affairs medical center) from April 2018 to December 2019. The primary outcome of this interim analysis was guideline concordant semiannual HCC surveillance over a 12-month period and a secondary outcome was proportion time covered by surveillance. All patients were included in intention-to-screen analyses.

RESULTS

Compared with usual care, the outreach arm had significantly higher semiannual surveillance (35.1% vs 21.9%) and lower no-surveillance (29.8% vs 43.5%) (P < .001), resulting in significant increases in the proportion of time covered by surveillance (41.3% vs 31.0%; P < .001). The intervention increased HCC surveillance across most predefined subgroups; however, there were site-level differences in the intervention effect, with significant increases in semiannual surveillance at the Veterans Affairs and safety net health systems but not at the tertiary care referral center.

CONCLUSIONS

Mailed outreach significantly increased semiannual HCC surveillance vs usual care in patients with cirrhosis, with a consistent intervention effect across most examined subgroups. Continued follow-up is ongoing to determine if these increases in surveillance translate into improved downstream outcomes includi.ng early HCC detection and curative treatment receipt. (ClinicalTrials.gov, Numbers: NCT02582918 and NCT03756051).

An Open-Access, Interactive Decision-Support Tool to Facilitate Guideline-Driven Care for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing in incidence and is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Adherence to HCC surveillance guidelines and appropriate treatment triage of liver lesions may improve receipt of curative-intent treatment and improved survival. Late-stage HCC diagnosis reflects sub-optimal implementation of effective HCC surveillance, whereas inappropriate treatment triage or linkage to care accounts for the non-receipt of curative-intent in close to half of early-stage HCC in the USA. A free, open-access decision-support tool for liver lesions that incorporates current guideline recommendations in a user-friendly interface could improve appropriate and timely triage of patients to appropriate care. This review provides a summary of gaps and disparities in linkage to HCC care and introduces a free, internet-based, interactive decision-support tool for managing liver lesions. This tool has been developed by the HCC Steering Committee of the Chronic Liver Disease Foundation and is targeted toward clinicians across specialties who may encounter liver lesions during routine care or as part of dedicated HCC surveillance.

Healthcare Disparities in Interventional Radiology

Racial, ethnic, and sex-based healthcare disparities have been documented for the past several decades. Nonetheless, disparities remain firmly entrenched in our care delivery systems, with multiple contributing factors, including patient interactions with care providers, systemic barriers to access, and socioeconomic determinants of health. Interventional radiology is also subject to these drivers of health inequity. In this review, documented disparities for the most common conditions being addressed by interventional radiologists are summarized; their magnitude is quantified where relevant, and underlying drivers are identified. Specific examples are provided to illustrate how medical, cultural, and socioeconomic factors interact to produce unequal outcomes. By outlining known disparities and common contributors, this review aims to motivate future efforts to mitigate them.

Factors associated with nonadherence to surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma among patients with hepatic C virus cirrhosis, 2000-2015

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance can detect the early stage of tumors and lead to improved survival. Adherence to guideline-concordant HCC surveillance is crucial in at-risk populations, including patients with hepatic C virus (HCV) cirrhosis. This study was conducted to identify patient and provider factors associated with nonadherence to HCC surveillance in patients with HCV cirrhosis. Data were primarily obtained from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database for the 2000 to 2015 period. Adult patients newly diagnosed as having HCV cirrhosis between 2003 and 2012 were enrolled. Each patient was followed up for 3 years and until the end of 2015. Annual HCC surveillance was defined as the uptake of an abdominal ultrasound and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) test annually during the 3-years follow-up. Nonannual surveillance was defined as the lack of an annual abdominal ultrasound and AFP test during the same 3-years period. Multinomial logistic regression models were applied to determine factors influencing adherence or nonadherence to annual HCC surveillance. We included a total of 4641 patients with HCV cirrhosis for analysis. Of these patients, only 14% adhered to annual HCC surveillance. HCC surveillance improved in later years, compared with the earlier phases of the study period. Patients with HCV cirrhosis comorbid with coronary artery disease (CAD) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or those with a relatively high number of comorbidities had a significantly higher likelihood of nonadherence. Patients who primarily received care from internists were significantly less likely to exhibit nonadherence to annual HCC surveillance compared with patients receiving care from physicians of other specialties. Patients who primarily received care from physicians practicing in larger hospitals were significantly less likely to exhibit nonadherence. HCC surveillance rates remain unacceptably low among high-risk patients, and our findings may be helpful in the development of effective interventions to increase HCC surveillance. The effective incorporation of HCC surveillance into routine visits for other chronic comorbidities, particularly for CAD or COPD, may be crucial for increasing HCC surveillance.

Surveillance Patterns for Hepatocellular Carcinoma among Screening-Eligible Patients in the Medicare Population

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.

Artificial intelligence in gastroenterology and hepatology: how to advance clinical practice while ensuring health equity

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) systems are increasingly used in medicine to improve clinical decision-making and healthcare delivery. In gastroenterology and hepatology, studies have explored a myriad of opportunities for AI/ML applications which are already making the transition to bedside. Despite these advances, there is a risk that biases and health inequities can be introduced or exacerbated by these technologies. If unrecognised, these technologies could generate or worsen systematic racial, ethnic and sex disparities when deployed on a large scale. There are several mechanisms through which AI/ML could contribute to health inequities in gastroenterology and hepatology, including diagnosis of oesophageal cancer, management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), liver transplantation, colorectal cancer screening and many others. This review adapts a framework for ethical AI/ML development and application to gastroenterology and hepatology such that clinical practice is advanced while minimising bias and optimising health equity.

Beyond insurance status: the impact of Medicaid expansion on the diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Medicaid expansion has led to earlier stage diagnoses in several cancers but has not been studied in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a disease with complex risk factors. We examined the effect of Medicaid expansion on the diagnosis of HCC and associations with county-level social vulnerability.

METHODS

Patients with HCC <65 years of age were identified from the SEER database (2010-2016). County-level social vulnerability factors were obtained from the CDC SVI and BRFSS. A Difference-in-Difference analysis evaluated change in early-stage diagnoses (stage I-II) between expansion and non-expansion states. A Difference-in-Difference-in-Difference analysis evaluated expansion impact among counties with higher proportions of social vulnerability.

RESULTS

Of 19,751 patients identified, 81.5% were in expansion states. Uninsured status decreased in expansion states (6.3%-2.4%, p < 0.0001) and remained unchanged in non-expansion states (12.7%-14.8%, p = 0.43). There was no significant difference in the incidence of early-stage diagnoses between expansion states and non-expansion states. Results were consistent when accounting for social vulnerability.

CONCLUSION

Medicaid expansion was not associated with earlier stage diagnoses in patients with HCC, including those with higher social vulnerability. Unlike other cancers, expanded access did not translate into higher utilization of care in HCC, suggesting barriers on a multitude of levels.

Mediating Effects of Neighborhood-Level Socioeconomic Deprivation on the Association Between Race/Ethnicity and Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Racial/ethnic minorities are more likely than non-Hispanic whites (NHW) to be diagnosed with advanced stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We examined the role of neighborhood disadvantage as a mediator of the association between race/ethnicity and HCC stage at diagnosis.

METHODS

We used data from HCC cases diagnosed in Texas from 2007 to 2015. HCC cases were classified as local versus regional/advanced stage. A mediation model approach was used to estimate the average direct effect, average mediated (indirect) effect, total effect, and proportion mediated by the Area Deprivation Index (ADI), a composite measure of disadvantage.

RESULTS

7,622 had local while 6303 had regional/advanced HCC. 46.1% of cases were NHW, 15.0% non-Hispanic Black (NHB), and 38.9% Hispanic. NHBs were less likely than NHWs to be diagnosed with local stage HCC [total effect RR, 0.921; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.898-0.947]; however, only 2.26% of this effect was mediated through ADI. Conversely, Hispanics were more likely than NHWs to be diagnosed with local stage HCC (total effect RR, 1.019; 95% CI, 1.001-1.037) and ADI mediated 12.56% of the effect of race/ethnicity on HCC stage. ADI was not associated with HCC stage and therefore was not a mediator of the association with HCC stage when we compared Hispanics with NHBs.

CONCLUSIONS

Neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage may explain/mediate some of the association between race/ethnicity and HCC stage; however, the mediating effect was not uniform across populations.

IMPACT

For NHBs, other individual and neighborhood level factors, not reflected in the ADI, contribute to their lower likelihood of being diagnosed with local HCC. See related commentary by Lazo et al., p. 1254.

Early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma: roadmap for improvement

INTRODUCTION

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a poor prognosis, related, in part, to frequent late-stage diagnosis. Improved implementation of effective HCC surveillance is critical to reduce HCC mortality.

AREAS COVERED

We performed a targeted literature review to identify intervention targets for improving HCC surveillance effectiveness, including enriched risk stratification tools, improved surveillance tools with higher accuracy for early HCC detection, and increasing surveillance adherence.

EXPERT OPINION

HCC surveillance has been demonstrated to be efficacious in several cohort studies but has lower surveillance effectiveness in clinical practice. HCC surveillance is currently recommended in all patients with cirrhosis, and improved risk stratification using clinical risk scores, genetic scores, and novel biomarkers are important to move from a 'one-size-fits-all' strategy to one more aligned with values of precision medicine. Current surveillance modalities, ultrasound, and AFP, miss over one-third of HCC at an early stage and are associated with potential surveillance harms, underscoring a need for alternative surveillance strategies with higher accuracy. MRI- and biomarker-based surveillance strategies have promising early data in phase II studies but require validation in phase III cohorts before routine use in practice. Finally, surveillance is underused in clinical practice, highlighting a need for intervention strategies to increase utilization.

Machine Learning Approach to Facilitate Knowledge Synthesis at the Intersection of Liver Cancer, Epidemiology, and Health Disparities Research

PURPOSE

Liver cancer is a global challenge, and disparities exist across multiple domains and throughout the disease continuum. However, liver cancer's global epidemiology and etiology are shifting, and the literature is rapidly evolving, presenting a challenge to the synthesis of knowledge needed to identify areas of research needs and to develop research agendas focusing on disparities. Machine learning (ML) techniques can be used to semiautomate the literature review process and improve efficiency. In this study, we detail our approach and provide practical benchmarks for the development of a ML approach to classify literature and extract data at the intersection of three fields: liver cancer, health disparities, and epidemiology.

METHODS

We performed a six-phase process including: training (I), validating (II), confirming (III), and performing error analysis (IV) for a ML classifier. We then developed an extraction model (V) and applied it (VI) to the liver cancer literature identified through PubMed. We present precision, recall, F1, and accuracy metrics for the classifier and extraction models as appropriate for each phase of the process. We also provide the results for the application of our extraction model.

RESULTS

With limited training data, we achieved a high degree of accuracy for both our classifier and for the extraction model for liver cancer disparities research literature performed using epidemiologic methods. The disparities concept was the most challenging to accurately classify, and concepts that appeared infrequently in our data set were the most difficult to extract.

CONCLUSION

We provide a roadmap for using ML to classify and extract comprehensive information on multidisciplinary literature. Our technique can be adapted and modified for other cancers or diseases where disparities persist.

Racial, Ethnic, and Socioeconomic Disparities in Curative Treatment Receipt and Survival in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) disproportionately affects racial, ethnic, and low socioeconomic status (SES) populations. However, the interaction between race, ethnicity, and neighborhood SES in HCC prognosis is not well explored. This study evaluates the interaction between race and ethnicity and neighborhood SES on curative treatment utilization and overall survival among patients with HCC in the United States. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 13,874 patients aged ≥65 years diagnosed with HCC from 2001 through 2015 using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Medicare-linked database. We performed multivariable logistic regression to examine the association between race, ethnicity, and curative treatment receipt across SES. We also evaluated the association between curative treatment receipt and overall survival using a Cox proportional hazards model. Among 13,874 patients, only 2,617 (18.9%) patients received curative treatment. Overall, Black patients had lower odds of receiving curative treatment than White patients (odds ratio [OR], 0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.64-0.91). When stratified by neighborhood SES, Black patients living in high-poverty neighborhoods had lower odds of curative treatment receipt (OR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.49-0.84) and worse survival (hazard ratio, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.02-1.25). Conversely, Hispanic and Asian patients had similar curative treatment receipt compared to White patients across all socioeconomic levels. Conclusion: Disparities in curative treatment receipt and overall survival are pronounced between Black and White patients. Black-White disparities appear to be moderated by neighborhood SES and are particularly evident among those living in high-poverty neighborhoods.

Association of County-Level Upward Economic Mobility with Stage at Diagnosis and Receipt of Curative-Intent Treatment among Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Upward economic mobility represents the ability of children to surpass their parents financially and improve their economic status. The extent to which it contributes to socioeconomic disparities in health outcomes remains largely unknown.

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in 2004-2015 were identified from the SEER-Medicare linked database. Information on county-level upward economic mobility was obtained from the Opportunity Atlas, and its impact on early-stage diagnosis (tumor size ≤ 5 cm, no nodal involvement or distant metastases, no major vascular invasion or extrahepatic extension) and receipt of curative-intent treatment (resection, transplantation, or ablation) was examined.

RESULTS

Among 9190 Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with HCC, the majority were White (64.9%, n = 5965). Overall, 44.7% (n = 4105) of patients were diagnosed with early-stage HCC and 29.7% (n = 2731) underwent curative-intent treatment. While higher upward economic mobility was not associated with HCC diagnosis at an early stage (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.83-1.06), patients with early-stage HCC from areas of high upward economic mobility had increased odds of undergoing curative-intent treatment (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.03-1.51). Upward economic mobility had no impact on the likelihood to undergo curative-intent treatment for early-stage HCC among White (OR 1.15, 95% CI 0.91-1.45), Black (OR 1.94, 95% CI 0.85-4.45) or Asian patients (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.44-1.36). In contrast, non-White patients other than Blacks or Asians diagnosed with early-stage HCC had markedly higher odds of receiving curative-intent treatment if the individual resided in an area characterized by higher versus lower upward economic mobility (OR 2.58, 95% CI 1.50-4.46).

CONCLUSIONS

While community-level economic mobility was not associated with stage of diagnosis, it affected the likelihood of undergoing curative-intent treatment for early-stage HCC, especially among minority patients other than Black or Asian patients.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Survival Among Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the United States: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fastest rising cause of cancer-related death in the United States; however, HCC incidence and mortality are not equally distributed among racial and ethnic groups. Our aim was to characterize the direction and magnitude of racial and ethnic disparities in overall survival and early tumor detection among patients with HCC.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane databases from inception through August 2020 for studies reporting HCC outcomes (early stage presentation and overall survival) by race and ethnicity. We calculated pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and odds ratios (ORs) for each racial and ethnic group (White, Black, Hispanic, Asian) using the DerSimonian and Laird method for a random-effects model.

RESULTS

We identified 35 articles comprising 563,097 patients (53.0% White, 17.3% Black, 18.4% Hispanic, 5.0% Asian). Compared with White patients, Black patients had worse survival (pooled HR 1.08; 95% CI, 1.05 - 1.12), whereas Hispanic (pooled HR 0.92; 95% CI, 0.87 - 0.97) and Asian (pooled HR 0.81; 95% CI, 0.73 - 0.88) patients had better survival. Among articles reporting tumor stage (n = 20), Black patients had lower odds of early stage HCC compared with White patients (OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.54 - 0.78). Conversely, there was no difference in odds of early HCC detection for Asian (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.97 - 1.05) or Hispanic patients (OR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.74 - 1.01) compared with White patients. The most common limitation of studies was risk of residual confounding from socioeconomic status and liver dysfunction.

CONCLUSIONS

There are significant racial and ethnic disparities in HCC prognosis in the United States, with Black patients having worse overall survival and Hispanic and Asian patients having better overall survival compared with White patients. Interventions are needed to reduce disparities in early HCC detection to improve HCC prognosis.

Ethnic Minorities and Low Socioeconomic Status Patients With Chronic Liver Disease Are at Greatest Risk of Being Uninsured

Background

Chronic liver disease (CLD) predominantly affects ethnic minorities and socially vulnerable populations, who have high prevalence of risk factors (e.g., suboptimal insurance coverage) predisposing to healthcare disparities. We evaluate prevalence and predictors of uninsured status among CLD adults, and secondarily, how this affects documented immunity or vaccination for hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV).

Methods

Using 2011 - 2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, self-reported insurance status was determined among adults with CLD. Prevalence of uninsured status was stratified by patient characteristics and evaluated using multivariable logistic regression models. Prevalence of self-reported completion of vaccination as well as laboratory value-based documented immunity to HAV and HBV was stratified by insurance status.

Results

Overall, 19.0% of adults with CLD reported having no insurance, which was highest among individuals of Hispanic ethnicity (33.5%), less than high school education (33.7%), and below poverty status (35.3%). On multivariable analyses, significantly lower odds of having any insurance coverage was observed in men, Hispanics, and individuals with lower education and lower household income. Prevalence of documented immunity or vaccination for HAV was low across all insurance categories, ranging from 46.5% to 54.0%. Prevalence of documented immunity or vaccination for HBV was similarly low across all insurance categories, ranging from 24.3% to 40.8%.

Conclusion

Prevalence of uninsured status among CLD was more than twice the US adult population, and lack of insurance particularly impacted Hispanics and individuals with low education and low household income. Low prevalence of documented immunity or vaccination for HAV and HBV across all insurance categories is concerning.

Conceptual Model for the Hepatocellular Carcinoma Screening Continuum: Current Status and Research Agenda

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) continues to have a dismal prognosis, with 5-year survival below 20%. This poor prognosis can be in part attributed to failures along the cancer screening process continuum such as underuse of screening in at risk patients and appropriate treatments for patients with HCC. Better understanding these process failures, and how they compare to those seen in other cancer types, can help inform potential intervention targets and strategies to reduce HCC-related mortality. Herein, we outline a conceptual model with several discrete steps in the HCC screening process continuum including risk assessment, screening initiation, follow-up of screening results, diagnostic evaluation, and treatment evaluation. The conceptual model illustrates how each step in the screening process is prone to delays or failure, resulting in worse outcomes such as late stage diagnosis or poor survival, and how factors at the patient, provider, and health care system levels can contribute to these failures. We compare cancer screening processes for HCC with those employed in breast and colorectal cancer screening to identify opportunities for improvement. The Translational Liver Cancer consortium was recently established by the National Cancer Institute with the goal of improving early detection of HCC. Studies designed to address failures in the HCC screening process continuum will help accomplish this goal.

Factors Associated with Survival of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) Patients at a Safety Net Hospital in Arizona without On-Site Liver Transplant Program

Background

With the rising incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), ongoing efforts should be focused on providing equitable and state-of-the-art care to patients.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to determine the survival of patients with HCC seen at a high-proportion Safety Net Hospital (h-SNH), where loco-regional therapy and hepatology services are available and liver transplantation (LT) is referred to outside facilities.

Patients and Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted on all patients with HCC seen at Valley Wise Health Center (VWHC) over a ten-year period. Clinical variables, treatment modalities, survival duration, hospice, and LT referrals of 161 patients were collected from the medical records. Survival analysis was used to determine the relationship of clinically relevant variables and survival among patients with HCC. A Log rank test was used to compare univariate variables. A Cox regression analysis was used to compare and control for multiple variables.

Results

Of the 161 patients included in the study, 33% were uninsured. The median age was 59 (21 to >89) years with 47% Hispanic, 31% Caucasian, 15% African American and 7% other races included for the analysis. The median survival for the cohort was 20.1 months. In the multivariate model, insurance status, final MELD, tumor within the Milan criteria and having received treatment for HCC were associated with survival. Surveillance for HCC was associated with HCC in the univariate analysis, but not in the multivariable model. Thirty percent of patients were referred for LT and 1.25% of the entire cohort received it.

Conclusion

Despite the availability of treatment modalities available for HCC at VWHC and the option of liver transplantation for appropriate candidates at outside centers, OS was less than reported from programs with on-site liver transplant programs. Reasons for lower survival in centers without liver transplant programs should be further studied.

Hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance and quantile regression for determinants of underutilisation in at-risk Australian patients

BACKGROUND

While clinical guidelines recommend hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance for at-risk individuals, reported surveillance rates in the United States and Europe remain disappointingly low.

AIM

To quantify HCC surveillance in an Australian cohort, and assess for factors associated with surveillance underutilisation.

METHODS

All patients undergoing HCC surveillance liver ultrasounds between January 1, 2018 to June 30, 2018 at a tertiary hospital in Melbourne, Australia, were followed until July 31, 2020, or when surveillance was no longer required. The primary outcome was the percentage of time up-to-date with HCC surveillance (PTUDS). Quantile regression was performed to determine the impact of factors associated with HCC surveillance underutilisation.

RESULTS

Among 775 at-risk patients followed up for a median of 27.5 months, the median PTUDS was 84.2% (IQR: 66.3%-96.3%). 85.0% of patients were followed up by specialist gastroenterologists. Amongst those receiving specialist care, quantile regression demonstrated differential associations at various quantile levels of PTUDS for several factors. Older age at the 25^th quantile (estimate 0.002 per percent, P = 0.03), and cirrhotic status at the 75^th quantile (estimate 0.021, P = 0.017), were significantly associated with greater percentage of time up-to-date. African ethnicity (estimate -0.089, P = 0.048) and a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background (estimate -0.063, P = 0.01) were significantly associated with lower PTUDS at the 50^th quantile, and again for CALD at the 75^th quantile (estimate -0.026, P = 0.045).

CONCLUSION

While median PTUDS in this Australian cohort study was 84.2%, awareness of the impact of specific factors across PTUDS quantiles can aid targeted interventions towards improved HCC surveillance.

Outcome of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Detected During Surveillance: Comparing USA and Japan

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Differences in outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) between countries have been largely attributed to variation in the conduct of surveillance and subsequent HCC treatment eligibility. However, differences in outcomes among those detected under surveillance have not been well described. We compared characteristics and prognosis between patients with surveillance-detected HCC from the United States (US) and Japan.

METHODS

Patients in whom initial HCC was detected under surveillance between January 2006 and December 2015 from two centers in the US and two from Japan were included. Survival was compared between patients from the US and Japan using multivariable Cox regression analysis and propensity-score matched analysis. We performed subgroup analyses by liver disease etiology, tumor stage, and type of HCC treatment.

RESULTS

Of 3788 HCC patients, 1797 (47.4%) were diagnosed under surveillance, 715 from the US and 1082 from Japan. Patients from the US diagnosed under surveillance had worse liver dysfunction and larger tumor burden than those from Japan. In multivariate analysis, US patients with surveillance-detected HCC had significantly worse survival than those from Japan (HR 1.17, 95% CI 1.00-1.35), which was also observed in propensity-score matched analysis. However, this difference was no longer significant after adjusting for treatment type (HR 1.07, 95% CI 0.92-1.25). When stratified by treatment type, survival was comparable between the two countries except lower survival among patients who underwent resection in the US versus Japan.

CONCLUSIONS

Prognosis of patients with surveillance-detected HCC is poorer in the US than Japan, primarily driven by differences in treatment delivery. Studies are necessary to elucidate reasons for these differences.

MRI is the most commonly used imaging modality for HCC screening at a tertiary care transplant center

PURPOSE

In this study, we describe the patterns of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) screening with imaging and factors associated with imaging modality selection in a tertiary care transplant center.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study where all adult patients with cirrhosis and/or chronic hepatitis B virus infection referred for HCC screening with ultrasound (US), CT or MRI were identified during 2017. The association between imaging methods, demographic/clinical data were analyzed by uni- and multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 1437 patients were included (median age 61y, 59% male, median BMI 27.5 kg/m², median AFP 3.4 ng/mL, 37% with HCV and 87% with cirrhosis). Index screening imaging method utilization included MRI (51%), US (33%) and CT (16%). Use of US as the index imaging modality for screening was significantly associated with race/ethnicity [Odds Ratio (OR) 1.71-2.01, all p < 0.05] in multivariate analysis. Presence of cirrhosis (OR 0.29, p < 0.001) and referral by a hepatologist (OR 0.23, p < 0.001) were associated with screening with MRI in the multivariate analysis; while gender, age, BMI, etiology and income at ZIP code of residence were not significantly associated with imaging modality selection. HCC was observed in 62 patients (prevalence 4.3%). Rate of HCC detection was significantly higher with MRI vs US (5.9% vs. 1.5%, p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

MRI was the most frequently used modality (> 50%) for HCC screening in our tertiary care center, in contrast with the current practice guidelines. Race/ethnicity, cirrhosis and referral by a hepatologist were associated with the imaging method used for HCC screening.

Cost-Effectiveness of a Serum Biomarker Test for Risk-Stratified Liver Ultrasound Screening for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

OBJECTIVES

Risk-stratified ultrasound screening for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), informed by a serum biomarker test, enables resources to be targeted to patients at the highest risk of developing cancer. We aimed to investigate the cost-effectiveness of risk-stratified screening for HCC in the Australian healthcare system.

METHODS

A Markov cohort model was constructed to test 3 scenarios for patients with compensated cirrhosis: (1) risk-stratified screening for high-risk patients, (2) all-inclusive screening, and (3) no formal screening. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses were undertaken to determine the impact of uncertainty. Scenario analyses were used to assess cost-effectiveness in Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and to determine the impact of including productivity-related costs of mortality.

RESULTS

Both risk-stratified screening and all-inclusive screening programs were cost-effective compared with no formal screening, with incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of A$39 045 and A$23 090 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY), respectively. All-inclusive screening had an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of A$4453 compared with risk-stratified screening and had the highest probability of being cost-effective at a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of A$50 000 per QALY. Risk-stratified screening had the highest likelihood of cost-effectiveness when the WTP was between A$25 000 and A$35 000 per QALY. Cost-effectiveness results were further strengthened when applied to an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cohort and when productivity costs were included.

CONCLUSIONS

Cirrhosis population-wide screening for HCC is likely to be cost-effective in Australia. Risk-stratified screening using a serum biomarker test may be cost-effective at lower WTP thresholds.

Benefits and Harms of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance in a Prospective Cohort of Patients With Cirrhosis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The value of a cancer screening programs is defined by its balance of benefits and harms; however, there are few data evaluating both attributes for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance. We aimed to characterize benefits and harms of HCC surveillance in a large prospective cohort of patients with cirrhosis.

METHODS

We conducted a secondary analysis of a clinical trial evaluating HCC surveillance among patients with cirrhosis at a safety-net health system enrolled between December 2014 and July 2015. We quantified surveillance-related benefits, defined as early HCC detection and curative treatment receipt, and physical harms, defined as diagnostic procedures for false positive or indeterminate results, over an 18-month period.

RESULTS

Of 614 cirrhosis patients with ≥1 surveillance exam, abnormal results were observed in 118 (19.2%) patients. Twenty-six patients developed HCC during follow-up, of whom 16 (61.5%) were detected by surveillance. The proportion of HCC detected at BCLC stage 0/A (62.5% vs 50%, p = .69) and who underwent curative treatment (43.8% vs. 40.0%, p = 1.0) did not significantly differ between surveillance-detected patients and those diagnosed incidentally/symptomatically. Physical harms were observed in 54 (8.8%) patients who underwent surveillance - most of mild severity with only 1 diagnostic CT or MRI and none undergoing invasive testing such as biopsy. Incidental findings on follow-up imaging were found in 40 (6.5%) patients -23 of low clinical importance and 17 medium clinical importance.

CONCLUSIONS

In our cohort of patients with cirrhosis, HCC surveillance was associated with high early tumor detection and minimal physical harms.

Initial Evaluation, Long-Term Monitoring, and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance of Chronic Hepatitis B in Routine Practice: A Nationwide US Study

INTRODUCTION

Previous studies, mostly small and single center, have shown gaps in the evaluation and monitoring of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) virus infection. We aimed to examine the rates and predictors of adherence to guidelines for CHB care in a large nationwide cohort.

METHODS

We identified adult patients with CHB infection from the Truven MarketScan databases of commercially insured and Medicare patients with private insurance supplement (2007-2014) using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. The initial evaluation cohort had at least 6 months follow-up, whereas at least 12 months was required for the long-term monitoring cohort.

RESULTS

We analyzed 55,317 eligible patients with CHB infection: mean age 46 ± 12 years, 58% men, and 14.8% with cirrhosis. Over a mean follow-up of 3.2 ± 2.3 years, 55.8% had specialist (gastroenterology or infectious diseases) visits. For initial evaluation, 59% of patients received both alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA tests, whereas only 33% had ALT, HBV DNA, and hepatitis B e antigen tests, with higher frequencies among patients with specialist visits. For long-term monitoring, only 25% had both ALT and HBV DNA tests performed annually. Among patients at higher risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (patients with cirrhosis, male patients without cirrhosis older than 40 years, and female patients without cirrhosis older than 50), less than 40% underwent annual hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance, with 25% never receiving surveillance during the study period. Predictors of optimal initial evaluation and long-term monitoring were compensated cirrhosis (odds ratio: 1.60 and 1.47, respectively) and specialist visits (odds ratio: 1.86 and 1.31, respectively) (both P < 0.001).

DISCUSSION

In this large cohort of patients with CHB infection with private insurance or Medicare with private insurance supplement, we observed poor adherence to the recommended initial evaluation and long-term monitoring. Among the predictors of adherence were specialist visits. Further efforts are needed to identify barriers and improve access to care.

The Effect of Hospital Safety-Net Burden and Patient Ethnicity on In-Hospital Mortality Among Hospitalized Patients With Cirrhosis

BACKGROUND

Over 2.1 million individuals in the United Stats have cirrhosis, including 513,000 with decompensated cirrhosis. Hospitals with high safety-net burden disproportionately serve ethnic minorities and have reported worse outcomes in surgical literature. No studies to date have evaluated whether hospital safety-net burden negatively affects hospitalization outcomes in cirrhosis. We aim to evaluate the impact of hospitals' safety-net burden and patients' ethnicity on in-hospital mortality among cirrhosis patients.

METHODS

Using National Inpatient Sample data from 2012 to 2016, the largest United States all-payer inpatient health care claims database of hospital discharges, cirrhosis-related hospitalizations were stratified into tertiles of safety-net burden: high (HBH), medium (MBH), and low (LBH) burden hospitals. Safety-net burden was calculated as percentage of hospitalizations per hospital with Medicaid or uninsured payer status. Multivariable logistic regression evaluated factors associated with in-hospital mortality.

RESULTS

Among 322,944 cirrhosis-related hospitalizations (63.7% white, 9.9% black, 15.6% Hispanic), higher odds of hospitalization in HBHs versus MBH/LBHs was observed in blacks (OR, 1.26; 95%CI, 1.17-1.35; P<0.001) and Hispanics (OR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.50-1.78; P<0.001) versus whites. Cirrhosis-related hospitalizations in MBHs or HBHs were associated with greater odds of in-hospital mortality versus LBHs (HBH vs. LBH: OR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.00-1.10; P=0.044). Greater odds of in-hospital mortality was observed in blacks (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.21-1.34; P<0.001) versus whites.

CONCLUSION

Cirrhosis patients hospitalized in HBH experienced 5% higher mortality than those in LBH, resulting in significantly greater deaths in cirrhosis patients. Even after adjusting for safety-net burden, blacks with cirrhosis had 27% higher in-hospital mortality compared with whites.

Screening for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Hepatitis B

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection is a significant risk factor for developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). As HCC is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, screening patients with CHB at a high risk for HCC is recommended in an attempt to improve these outcomes. However, the screening recommendations on who to screen and how often are not uniform. Identifying patients at the highest risk of HCC would allow for the best use of health resources. In this review, we evaluate the literature on screening patients with CHB for HCC, strategies for optimizing adherence to screening, and potential risk stratification tools to identify patients with CHB at a high risk of developing HCC.

A Latin American survey on demographic aspects of hospitalized, decompensated cirrhotic patients and the resources for their management

INTRODUCTION & OBJECTIVES

Liver cirrhosis is a major cause of mortality worldwide. Adequate diagnosis and treatment of decompensating events requires of both medical skills and updated technical resources. The objectives of this study were to search the demographic profile of hospitalized cirrhotic patients in a group of Latin American hospitals and the availability of expertise/facilities for the diagnosis and therapy of decompensation episodes.

METHODS

A cross sectional, multicenter survey of hospitalized cirrhotic patients.

RESULTS

377 patients, (62% males; 58±11 years) (BMI>25, 57%; diabetes 32%) were hospitalized at 65 centers (63 urbans; 57 academically affiliated) in 13 countries on the survey date. Main admission causes were ascites, gastrointestinal bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis/other infections. Most prevalent etiologies were alcohol-related (AR) (40%); non-alcoholic-steatohepatitis (NASH) (23%), hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) (7%) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) (6%). The most frequent concurrent etiologies were AR+NASH. Expertise and resources in every analyzed issue were highly available among participating centers, mostly accomplishing valid guidelines. However, availability of these facilities was significantly higher at institutions located in areas with population>500,000 (n=45) and in those having a higher complexity level (Gastrointestinal, Liver and Internal Medicine Departments at the same hospital (n=22).

CONCLUSIONS

The epidemiological etiologic profile in hospitalized, decompensated cirrhotic patients in Latin America is similar to main contemporary emergent agents worldwide. Medical and technical resources are highly available, mostly at great population urban areas and high complexity medical centers. Main diagnostic and therapeutic approaches accomplish current guidelines recommendations.

The role of racial segregation in treatment and outcomes among patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

There is a long history of segregation in the U.S.A with enduring impacts on cancer outcomes today. We evaluated the impact of segregation on racial disparities in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) treatment and outcomes.

METHODS

We obtained data on black and white patients with HCC from the SEER program (2005-2015) within the 100 most populous participating counties. Our exposure was the index of dissimilarity (IoD), a validated measure of segregation. Outcomes were overall survival, advanced stage at diagnosis (Stage III/IV) and surgery for localized disease (Stage I/II). Cancer-specific survival was assessed using Kaplan-Meier estimates.

RESULTS

Black patients had a 1.18 times increased risk (95%CI 1.14,1.22) of presenting at advanced stage as compared to white patients and these disparities disappeared at low levels of segregation. In the highest quartile of IoD, black patients had a significantly lower survival than white (17 months vs 27 months, p < 0.001), and this difference disappeared at the lowest quartile of IoD.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data illustrate that structural racism in the form racial segregation has a significant impact on racial disparities in the treatment of HCC. Urban and health policy changes can potentially reduce disparities in HCC outcomes.

Epidemiological projections of viral-induced hepatocellular carcinoma in the perspective of WHO global hepatitis elimination

Hepatitis B is an eminent risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, whereas hepatitis C is a key risk factor for HCC in Western Europe and North America. Increased awareness of the global burden of viral hepatitis resulted, in May 2016, in the adoption of the first global health sector strategy on viral hepatitis by the World Health Assembly, which calls for the elimination of viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. Although the incidence of liver cancer resulting from viral infections has increased since the 1990s, the implementation of public health interventions, such as hepatitis B vaccination and antiviral therapies might have reduced the global burdens of HCC. Hepatitis B immunization in infancy has been associated with a reduction in the risk of infant fulminant hepatitis, chronic liver disease, and HCC in Taiwan. Achieving viral hepatitis elimination by 2030 can be accelerated by improving the access to HCC screening programs. HCC surveillance programs in developed countries must be refined to increase an access to personalized surveillance program, whereas the limited access to surveillance and treatment of HCC in developing countries remains a significant public health issue.

Patient-Reported Barriers Are Associated With Receipt of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance in a Multicenter Cohort of Patients With Cirrhosis

BACKGROUND

More than 20% of patients with cirrhosis do not receive semi-annual hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance as recommended. Few studies have evaluated the effects of patient-level factors on surveillance receipt.

METHODS

We administered a telephone survey to a large cohort of patients with cirrhosis from 3 health systems (a tertiary care referral center, a safety-net health system, and Veterans Affairs) to characterize patient knowledge, attitudes, and perceived barriers of HCC surveillance. Multinomial logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with HCC surveillance receipt (semi-annual and annual vs none) during the 12-month period preceding survey administration.

RESULTS

Of 2871 patients approached, 1020 (35.5%) completed the survey. Patients had high levels of concern about developing HCC and high levels of knowledge about HCC. However, patients had knowledge deficits, including believing surveillance was unnecessary when physical examination and laboratory results were normal. Nearly half of patients reported barriers to surveillance, including costs (28.9%), difficulty scheduling (24.1%), and transportation (17.8%). In the year before the survey, 745 patients (73.1%) received 1 or more surveillance examination; 281 received on-schedule, semi-annual surveillance and 464 received annual surveillance. Semi-annual HCC surveillance (vs none) was significantly associated with receipt of hepatology subspecialty care (odds ratio, 30.1; 95% CI, 17.5-51.8) and inversely associated with patient-reported barriers (odds ratio, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.41-0.94). Patterns of associations comparing annual vs no surveillance were similar although the magnitude of effects were reduced.

CONCLUSIONS

Patient-reported barriers such as knowledge deficits, costs, difficulty scheduling, and transportation are significantly associated with less frequent receipt of HCC surveillance, indicating a need for patient-centered interventions, such as patient navigation.