Clinical outcomes of a cohort series of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in a hepatitis B virus-endemic area

Phase I-IV Drug Trials on Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Asian Populations: A Systematic Review of Ten Years of Studies

Despite advances in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) over the last few decades, treatment opportunities for patients with HCC remain limited. HCC is the most common form of liver cancer, accounting for approximately 90% of all cases worldwide. Moreover, apart from the current pharmacological interventions, hepatic resection and liver transplantation are the mainstay curative approaches for patients with HCC. This systematic review included phase I, II, III, and IV clinical trials (CTs) and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on current treatments for patients with HCC in Asian populations (2013-2023). A total of 427 articles were screened, and 184 non-duplicate publications were identified. After screening the titles and abstracts, 96 publications were excluded, and another 28 were excluded after full-text screening. The remaining 60 eligible RCTs/CTs were finally included. A total of 60 clinical trials fulfilled our inclusion criteria with 36 drugs used as monotherapy or combination therapy for HCC. Most studies used sorafenib alone or in combination with any of the treatment regimens. Lenvatinib or atezolizumab with bevacizumab was used for HCC after initial sorafenib treatment. Eighteen studies compared the efficacy of sorafenib with that of other drugs, including lenvatinib, cabozantinib, tepotinib, tigatuzumab, linifanib, erlotinib, resminostat, brivanib, tislelizumab, selumetinib, and refametinib. This study provides comprehensive insights into effective treatment interventions for HCC in Asian populations. The overall assessment indicates that sorafenib, used alone or in combination with atezolizumab and bevacizumab, has been the first treatment choice in the past decade to achieve better outcomes in patients with HCC in Asian populations.

Korean Liver Cancer Association (KLCA) and National Cancer Center (NCC) Korea. 2022 KLCA-NCC Korea practice guidelines for the management of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer worldwide and the fourth most common cancer among men in South Korea, where the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B infection is high in middle and old age. The current practice guidelines will provide useful and sensible advice for the clinical management of patients with HCC. A total of 49 experts in the fields of hepatology, oncology, surgery, radiology, and radiation oncology from the Korean Liver Cancer Association-National Cancer Center Korea Practice Guideline Revision Committee revised the 2018 Korean guidelines and developed new recommendations that integrate the most up-to-date research findings and expert opinions. These guidelines provide useful information and direction for all clinicians, trainees, and researchers in the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

2022 KLCA-NCC Korea Practice Guidelines for the Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer worldwide and the fourth most common cancer among men in South Korea, where the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B infection is high in middle and old age. The current practice guidelines will provide useful and sensible advice for the clinical management of patients with HCC. A total of 49 experts in the fields of hepatology, oncology, surgery, radiology, and radiation oncology from the Korean Liver Cancer Association-National Cancer Center Korea Practice Guideline Revision Committee revised the 2018 Korean guidelines and developed new recommendations that integrate the most up-to-date research findings and expert opinions. These guidelines provide useful information and direction for all clinicians, trainees, and researchers in the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

2022 KLCA-NCC Korea practice guidelines for the management of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer worldwide and the fourth most common cancer among men in South Korea, where the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B infection is high in middle and old age. The current practice guidelines will provide useful and sensible advice for the clinical management of patients with HCC. A total of 49 experts in the fields of hepatology, oncology, surgery, radiology, and radiation oncology from the Korean Liver Cancer Association-National Cancer Center Korea Practice Guideline Revision Committee revised the 2018 Korean guidelines and developed new recommendations that integrate the most up-to-date research findings and expert opinions. These guidelines provide useful information and direction for all clinicians, trainees, and researchers in the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

Changing epidemiology of hepatocellular carcinoma in Asia

Liver cancer is the fifth most common cancer and the second leading cause of malignant death in Asia, and Asia reports 72.5% of the world's cases in 2020. As the most common histological type, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for the majority of incidence and mortality of liver cancer cases. This review presents the changing epidemiology of HCC in Asian countries in recent years. Globally, aged, male and Asian populations remain the group with the highest risk of HCC. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are still the leading risk factors of HCC with a slight decline in most Asian countries, which is mainly attributed to HBV vaccination of newborns, prevention of HCV horizontal transmission and treatment of chronic hepatitis. However, the prevalence of HCC caused by metabolic factors, including metabolic syndrome, obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases, is increasing rapidly in Asian countries, which may eventually become the major cause of HCC. Excessive alcohol consumption continues to be an important risk factor as the average consumption of alcohol is still growing. Hopefully, great effort has been made to better prevention and treatment of HCC in most Asian regions, which significantly prolongs the survival of HCC patients. Asian countries tend to use more aggressive intervention than European and American countries, but it remains unclear whether this preference is related to a better prognosis. In conclusion, HCC remains a major disease burden in Asia, and the management of HCC should be adjusted dynamically based on the changing epidemiology.

Better survival of patients with hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma in South Korea: Changes in 16-years cohorts

Aims

The incidence and mortality of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have decreased over time in South Korea, where hepatitis B virus (HBV) in endemic. This study investigated the changes in the characteristics and clinical outcomes of HCC patients in Korea.

Methods

Patients initially diagnosed with HCC and treated at the National Cancer Center, Korea between 2000 and 2015 (n = 4,291) were followed up until February 2017. Differences in patient characteristics and outcomes were compared between chronological cohorts: cohort A (2000–2004, n = 1,157) vs. B (2005–2009, n = 1,678) vs. C (2010–2015, n = 1,456).

Results

The median age of the patient cohort was 57 years (range, 13–98 years), and male predominance was noted (81.6%). HBV infection was the most common etiology (74.8%). The proportion of patients diagnosed with good liver function and small tumors (<2 cm) increased significantly over time: 74.6%, 79.9%, and 87.4% for Child–Pugh class A (p<0.001) and 8.0%, 8.5%, and 12.0% for modified UICC stage I (p<0.001) in cohorts A, B, and C, respectively. Median overall survival improved significantly over time: 14.4 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 12.0–16.8 months), 22.9 months (95% CI, 20.3–25.5 months), and 53.6 months (95% CI, 45.7–61.5 months) in cohorts A, B, and C, respectively. HBV-related patients showed significantly improved survival (12.7 vs. 20.4 vs. 64.5 months, p<0.001) associated with the use of antiviral treatments (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.64–0.80).

Conclusions

The survival of patients with HCC, especially HBV-related HCC, has improved significantly over time in Korea.

Comparison of the outcomes between sorafenib and lenvatinib as the first-line systemic treatment for HBV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma: a propensity score matching analysis

BACKGROUND/AIM

In a randomized controlled trial, lenvatinib was non-inferior to sorafenib in overall survival (OS) of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC). This study aimed to compare the effects of sorafenib and lenvatinib as first-line systemic therapy against uHCC with real-world data in chronic hepatitis B patients.

METHODS

This retrospective single-center study involved 132 patients with HBV-related uHCC. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance the baseline characteristics, including age, sex, serum alpha-fetoprotein levels, Child-Pugh class, tumor size, and tumor stage. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS), and the secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), time to progression (TTP), and tumor response.

RESULTS

After PSM, the final analysis included 44 patients treated with lenvatinib and 88 with sorafenib. The OS (7.0 vs 9.2 months, p = 0.070) and PFS (4.6 vs 2.4 months, p = 0.134) were comparable between the two drugs. Multivariable analysis showed that lenvatinib and sorafenib were not independent prognostic factors of OS (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.41, 95% confidence interval = 0.96-2.08, p = 0.077) after adjustment for baseline alpha-fetoprotein levels, total bilirubin levels, alanine aminotransferase level, performance status, tumor stage, and tumor size. However, the lenvatinib group had a significantly prolonged TTP (5.2 vs 2.5 months, p = 0.018) and a higher objective response rate (18.2% vs 4.5%, p = 0.020) and disease control rate (77.3% vs 47.7%, p = 0.001) than the sorafenib group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrated that lenvatinib had a comparable OS and PFS but longer TTP and better tumor response compared to sorafenib in patients with HBV-related uHCC.

Portal Vein Tumor Thrombosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma - The Changing Tides

Portal vein involvement is considered one of the most fearful complications of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) is associated with aggressive tumor biology (high grade), high tumor burden (number and size of lesions), high levels of serum markers (AFP), poor liver function (deranged LFT), and poor performance status of patients. The Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging system places HCC patients with PVTT in advanced stage (BCLC Stage-C). This group contains a fairly heterogeneous patient population, previously considered candidates for palliative systemic therapy with sorafenib. However, this provided modest overall survival (OS) benefit. The results of a recent Phase III (IMbrave150) trial favor the combination of atezolizumab and bevacizumab over sorafenib as a standard of care in advanced unresectable HCC. While only lenvatinib proved to be non-inferior against sorafenib in a phase III (REFLECT trial), regorafenib (RESORCE trial), ramucirumab (REACH-2), and cabozantinib (CELESTIAL) have been approved second-line therapy in phase III clinical trials. Recently, the data on the prospect of other modalities in the management of HCC with PVTT is mounting with favorable results. Targeting multiple pathways in the HCC cascade using a combination of drugs and other modalities such as RT, TACE, TARE, and HAIC appear effective for systemic and loco-regional control. The quest for the ideal combination therapy and the sequence set is still widely unanswered and prospective trials are lacking. With the armament of available therapeutic options and the advances and refinements in the delivery system, down-staging patients to make them eligible for curative resection has been reported. In a rapidly evolving treatment landscape, performing surgery when appropriate, in the form of LR and even LT to achieve cure does not seem farfetched. Likewise, adjuvant therapy and prompt management of the recurrences holds the key to prolong OS and DFS. This review discusses the management options of HCC patients with PVTT.

Effects of Positive Hepatitis B Core Antibody and Metabolic Disorders in Hepatocellular Carcinoma in an Endemic Area of Hepatitis B Virus

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

This retrospective study aimed to investigate the impact of positive hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) and metabolic disorders on clinical characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients in an HBV-endemic area.

METHODS

A total of 1950 consecutive patients newly diagnosed with HCC between 2002 and 2015 were included. Patient records were reviewed. We compared non-viral and non-alcoholic HCC patients with other etiological groups for HCC. In addition, we compared HCC patients with negative hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and positive anti-HBc to those with negative HBsAg and negative anti-HBc, and to those with HBV.

RESULTS

The prevalence of non-viral and non-alcoholic HCC increased from 7% in 2002-2011 to 12% in 2012-2015. The proportion of non-viral and non-alcoholic HCC gradually increased with age. Patients with non-viral and non-alcoholic HCC exhibited higher rates of metabolic disorders and preserved liver function. The rate of anti-HBc positivity was similarly high in all HCC etiological groups. The clinical features of HCC patients with negative HBsAg and positive anti-HBc were similar to those with negative HBsAg and negative anti-HBc, but significantly different from those with HBV HCC. Regarding tumor characteristics, patients in the non-viral and non-alcoholic HCC group had more advanced stages of tumors (mUICC stage III-V and BCLC stage C/D). There was no significant difference in overall survival among the patient groups. The presence of anti-HBc did not affect patient survival.

CONCLUSION

Patients with non-viral and non-alcoholic HCC had a relatively high prevalence of metabolic disorders and preserved liver function. However, they had advanced tumor stage compared to patients from other etiological groups. Anti-HBc positivity did not affect the clinical characteristics or prognosis of non-HBV HCC patients in this study.

Changes in Characteristics of Patients with Liver Cirrhosis Visiting a Tertiary Hospital over 15 Years: a Retrospective Multi-Center Study in Korea

BACKGROUND

Liver cirrhosis has become a heavy burden not only for patients, but also for our society. However, little is known about the recent changes in clinical outcomes and characteristics of patients with cirrhosis-related complications in Korea. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate changes in characteristics of patients with liver cirrhosis in Daegu-Gyeongbuk province in Korea over the past 15 years.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 15,716 liver cirrhotic patients from 5 university hospitals in Daegu-Gyeongbuk province from 2000 to 2014. The Korean Standard Classification of Diseases-6 code associated with cirrhosis was investigated through medical records and classified according to the year of first visit.

RESULTS

A total of 15,716 patients was diagnosed with cirrhosis. A number of patients newly diagnosed with cirrhosis has decreased each year. In 2000, patients were most likely to be diagnosed with hepatitis B virus (HBV) cirrhosis, followed by alcoholic cirrhosis. There was a significant decrease in HBV (P < 0.001), but alcohol, hepatitis C virus (HCV), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) showed a significant increase during the study period (alcohol, P = 0.036; HCV, P = 0.001; NAFLD, P = 0.001). At the time of initial diagnosis, the ratio of Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) class A gradually increased from 23.1% to 32.9% (P < 0.001). The most common cause of liver-related hospitalization in 2000 was hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (25.5%); in 2014, gastrointestinal bleeding with esophageal and gastric varices (21.4%) was the most common cause. Cases of hospitalization with liver-related complication represented 76.4% of all cases in 2000 but 70.9% in 2014. Incidence rate of HCC has recently increased. In addition, HCC-free survival was significantly lower in CTP class A than in classes B and C. Finally, there was significant difference in HCC occurrence according to causes (P < 0.001). HBV and HCV cirrhosis had lower HCC-free survival than alcoholic and NAFLD cirrhosis.

CONCLUSION

In recent years, the overall number of cirrhosis patients has decreased. This study confirmed the recent trend in decrease of cirrhosis, especially of cirrhosis due to HBV, and the increase of HCV, alcoholic and NAFLD cirrhosis. Targeted screening for at-risk patients will facilitate early detection of liver diseases allowing effective intervention and may have decreased the development of cirrhosis and its complications.

Phase II Study of Hypofractionated Proton Beam Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background: Proton beam has an excellent depth dose distribution due to its unique physical properties, and thus proton beam therapy (PBT) has been tried and showed promising outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The purpose of this phase II study is to evaluate the efficacy of hypofractionated PBT in HCC.

Methods: The eligibility criteria for this study were as follows: patients with HCC lesion(s) who were failed after, were difficult to treat with, or refused to other local treatments; tumor size and number of ≤7 and ≤2 cm, respectively, and HCC lesion(s) of ≥2 cm from gastrointestinal organs; Child–Pugh score of ≤7; Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status ≤1; and age ≥18 years. The prescribed dose of PBT was 70 Gy equivalent in 10 fractions. The primary endpoint was 3-year local progression-free survival (LPFS) rate.

Results: Forty-five patients were prospectively enrolled, and there were 35 men and 10 women with a median age of 63 years (range, 46–78 years). Thirty-seven patients had recurrent and/or residual disease, and eight patients had treatment-naive disease. All patients received the planned treatments without treatment interruption, and grade ≥3 acute toxicity did not occur. The median follow-up duration was 35.1 months (range, 11.2–56.3 months) and local progression occurred in two patients (8.7%). The 3-year rates of LPFS and overall survival (OS) were 95.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 89.1%−100%) and 86.4% (95% CI, 72.9–99.9%), respectively.

Conclusion: Hypofractionated PBT showed promising LPFS and OS, and further studies are warranted to compare PBT with other local modalities.

A Case of Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Portal Vein Tumor Thrombosis Treated by Hepatic Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy

Sorafenib is the standard treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein thrombosis (PVT). Additionally, hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy has been used as a treatment option for advanced HCC. Here, we report a case of sustained partial response in a patient with advanced HCC with PVT after hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Ultrathin, Biocompatible, and Flexible Pressure Sensor with a Wide Pressure Range and Its Biomedical Application

In this research, an ultrathin, biocompatible, and flexible pressure sensor with a wide pressure range has been developed and applied in biomedical applications. The pressure sensing mechanism is based on the variation of contact resistance between an electrode and a three-dimensional microstructured polyimide/carbon nanotube composite film. The sensor has a thickness of about 31.3 μm, a maximum sensitivity of 41.0 MPa^-1, and a sensing range of 10-500 kPa. Moreover, in situ temperature measurement by an integrated resistive temperature detector enables data correction for varying temperature conditions. In order to show the advantages of the fabricated sensor, it is attached to the human body and integrated with the surface of a radiofrequency ablation (RFA) needle with small radius of curvature. In the experiments, the proposed pressure sensor measured subtle pressure levels (pulse pressure) and high pressure levels (fingertip pressure) without losing conformal contact with the skin. In addition, when the pressure-sensor-integrated RFA needle was inserted into a bovine liver, successful detection of steam popping phenomenon was observed.

Obstacles and opportunities in the prevention and treatment of HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma

Despite the tremendous progresses toward our understanding of the mechanisms of how liver cancer was developed, the therapeutic outcomes of liver cancer in the clinic have very limited improvement within the past three decades or so. In addition, both the incidence and mortality of liver cancer worldwide are not dropping, but increasing steadily, in the last decade. Thus, it is time for us to rethink what has been wrong and how could we do better in the upcoming years, in order to achieve our goal of improving the therapeutic outcomes of patients with liver cancer in the clinic, and at the meantime, effectively reducing the incidence of liver cancer by blocking malignant transformation of hepatocytes from chronic viral infection. This is also one of the main reasons why we try to organize this special issue on primary liver cancer in the journal of Genes & Diseases. In this perspective, I will summarize the major obstacles confronted with in the prevention and management of patients with chronic hepatitis B infection and subsequent development of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Next, I will delineate the pitfalls and underlying mechanisms of why the current anti-viral strategies and therapeutic agents are not as effective as one expected in terms of successful reduction or prevention chronic hepatitis B infection associated liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. I will then provide my personal perspectives on potential approaches and strategies for effective prevention and management of hepatitis B-related liver cancer.

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.

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.

Does Risk-Adapted Proton Beam Therapy Have a Role as a Complementary or Alternative Therapeutic Option for Hepatocellular Carcinoma?

To evaluate the role of risk-adapted proton beam therapy (PBT) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, a total of 243 HCC patients receiving risk-adapted PBT with three dose-fractionation regimens (regimen A [n = 40], B [n = 60], and C [n = 143]) according to the proximity of their gastrointestinal organs (<1 cm, 1–1.9 cm, and ≥2 cm, respectively) were reviewed: The prescribed doses to planning target volume 1 (PTV1) were 50 gray equivalents (GyE) (EQD2 [equivalent dose in 2 Gy fractions], 62.5 GyE₁₀), 60 GyE (EQD2, 80 GyE₁₀), and 66 GyE (EQD2, 91.3 GyE₁₀) in 10 fractions, respectively, and those of PTV2 were 30 GyE (EQD2, 32.5 GyE₁₀) in 10 fractions. In all patients, the five-year local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 87.5% and 48.1%, respectively, with grade ≥3 toxicity of 0.4%. In regimens A, B, and C, the five-year LRFS and OS rates were 54.6%, 94.7%, and 92.4% (p < 0.001), and 16.7%, 39.2%, and 67.9% (p < 0.001), respectively. The five-year OS rates of the patients with the Modified Union for International Cancer Control (mUICC) stages I, II, III, and IVA and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stages A, B, and C were 69.2%, 65.4%, 43.8%, and 26.6% (p < 0.001), respectively, and 65.1%, 40%, and 32.2% (p < 0.001), respectively. PBT could achieve promising long-term tumor control and have a potential role as a complementary or alternative therapeutic option across all stages of HCC.

Prognosis of Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients

BACKGROUND

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a serious infectious complication in patients with liver cirrhosis. However, information about prognosis of SBP in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients is limited. We investigated the clinical course of SBP in HCC patients.

METHODS

This study enrolled patients diagnosed with SBP between 2005 and 2017. Medical records of patients were reviewed and clinical course was compared between the non-HCC and HCC groups.

RESULTS

In total, 123 SBP cases including 49 HCC cases were enrolled. Men were predominant (48/74, 64.9% vs. 34/49, 69.4%; P = 0.697); median age was 58 years in both non-HCC and HCC groups (P = 0.887). The most common etiology was alcohol (32/74, 43.2%) in non-HCC group and hepatitis B (30/49, 61.2%) in HCC group (P = 0.009). Antibiotic resistance rate was higher in non-HCC than in HCC group (29.7% vs. 12.2%; P = 0.028); in-hospital mortality did not differ between the groups (25/74, 33.8% vs. 13/49, 26.5%; P = 0.431). Development rate of hepatorenal syndrome did not differ between non-HCC and HCC group (14/74, 18.9% vs. 10/49, 20.4%; P = 1.000), but hepatic encephalopathy was less common in HCC group (26/74, 35.2% vs. 9/49, 18.3%; P = 0.008). The most important predictor of in-hospital mortality in patients with HCC was white blood cell count above 11,570 cells/mm3 (odds ratio, 6.629; 95% confidence interval, 1.652-26.590; P = 0.008).

CONCLUSION

Prognosis of SBP in HCC patients is relatively less severe. This result may be related with reduced antibiotics resistance and lower development rates of other complications, such as hepatic encephalopathy. Degree of systemic inflammation may be the most important factor for in-hospital mortality.

Risk factors for developing liver cancer in people with and without liver disease

BACKGROUND

The National Liver Cancer Surveillance Program (NLCSP) targets patients with liver diseases that lead to liver cancer in South Korea. This study aimed to investigate the risk of liver disease leading to liver cancer using nationally representative data to establish an efficient NLCSP.

METHODS

This study used data from the National Health Insurance Service National Sample Cohort (NHIS-NSC) from 2002 to 2013. A retrospective matched cohort design was applied to compare the development of liver cancer in patients with and without liver disease. Cox- proportional hazard regression for liver cancer with competing risk of death was performed for all subjects or each group stratified according to age or income level.

RESULTS

A total of 66,192 patients with liver disease and matched subjects without liver disease were included in the study. The incidences of liver cancer among patients with and without liver disease within a median 8-year follow-up period were 2.68% (n = 1,772) and 0.34% (n = 210), respectively. Cox- regression analysis for liver cancer incidence indicated that cirrhosis had the highest risk (hazard ratio [HR]: 18.13, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 15.24-21.58), followed by hepatitis B (HR: 9.32, 95% CI: 8.00-10.85). Subgroup analysis showed that the presence of liver disease was an important risk factor in younger as well as elderly people, and a higher risk of liver disease was also observed in the patients with Medicaid.

CONCLUSIONS

Attention should be paid to the development of liver cancer in young people under 50 years old and preventive efforts to decrease the incidence of liver cancer among Medicaid recipients is needed.

Clinical significance of microRNA-21 expression in disease progression of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM

Aberrant microRNA (miR) expression is associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

MATERIALS & METHODS

Here, we investigated the clinical significance of miR-21 and miR-31 for HCC-specific prognostic effect. HCC patients (n = 93) who underwent liver biopsy or surgical resection were enrolled, and HCC tissues and paired adjacent nontumor liver tissues were collected and analyzed for miRs expression.

RESULTS

MiR-21 expression was significantly upregulated in HCC tissues relative to nontumor tissues. Both miR-21 and miR-31 expression in HCC tissues did not predict overall survival; however, miR-21 was considered an independent predictor of disease progression together with portal vein thrombosis and higher Barcelona Clinical Liver Cancer stage.

CONCLUSION

Elevated miR-21 expression might represent a biomarker for HCC prognosis.

Anti-viral therapy is associated with improved survival but is underutilised in patients with hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma: real-world east and west experience

BACKGROUND

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. It remains incompletely understood in the real world how anti-viral therapy affects survival after HCC diagnosis.

METHODS

This was an international multicentre cohort study of 2518 HBV-related HCC cases diagnosed between 2000 and 2015. Cox proportional hazards models were utilised to estimate hazard ratios (HR) with 95% (CI) for anti-viral therapy and cirrhosis on patients' risk of death.

RESULTS

Approximately, 48% of patients received anti-viral therapy at any time, but only 17% were on therapy at HCC diagnosis (38% at US centres, 11% at Asian centres). Anti-viral therapy would have been indicated for >60% of the patients not on anti-viral therapy based on American criteria. Patients with cirrhosis had lower 5-year survival (34% vs 46%; P < 0.001) while patients receiving anti-viral therapy had increased 5-year survival compared to untreated patients (42% vs 25% with cirrhosis and 58% vs 36% without cirrhosis; P < 0.001 for both). Similar findings were seen for other patient subgroups by cancer stages and cancer treatment types. Anti-viral therapy was associated with a decrease in risk of death, whether started before or after HCC diagnosis (adjusted HR 0.62 and 0.79, respectively; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Anti-viral therapy improved overall survival in patients with HBV-related HCC across cancer stages and treatment types but was underutilised at both US and Asia centres. Expanded use of anti-viral therapy in HBV-related HCC and better linkage-to-care for HBV patients are needed.

Optimal time of tumour response evaluation and effectiveness of hypofractionated proton beam therapy for inoperable or recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma

Objective

To evaluate the optimal time of tumour response and effectiveness of hypofractionated proton beam therapy (PBT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Results

Overall, treatment was well tolerated with no grade toxicity ≥3. Of 71 patients, 66 patients (93%) eventually reached complete response (CR) after PBT: 93.9% (62 of 66) of patients who reached CR within 12 months, and the remaining 4 patients (6.1%) reached CR at 12.5, 16.2, 19.1 and 21.7 months, respectively. The three-year local progression-free survival (LPFS), relapse-free survival (RFS) and OS rates were 89.9%, 26.8%, and 74.4%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that the tumour response was an independent prognostic factor for LPFS, RFS, and OS.

Conclusion

Most CR was achieved within 1 year after PBT and further salvage treatments in PBT field might be postponed up to approximately 18–24 months. Hypofractionated PBT could be good alternative for HCC patients who are unsuitable for surgical or invasive treatments with curative intent.

Materials and Methods

Seventy-one inoperable or recurrent HCC patients underwent hypofractionated PBT using 66 GyE in 10 fractions. The tumour responses were defined as the maximal tumour response observed during the follow-up period using the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors criteria.

Epidemiology of liver cancer in South Korea

Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer (fourth in men and sixth in women) and the second largest cause of cancer mortality in South Korea. The crude incidence rate of liver cancer was 31.9/100,000 (47.5/100,000 in men and 16.2/100,000 in women) and the age-standardized incidence rate was 19.9/100,000 (32.4/100,000 in men and 8.8/100,000 in women) in 2014. The crude incidence rate increased from 1999 to 2011 and thereafter showed a subtle decreasing tendency. The crude prevalence rate was 113.6/100,000 (170.2/100,000 in men and 57.1/100,000 in women) and the age-standardized prevalence rate was 72.6/100,000 (115.7/100,000 in men and 33.7/100,000 in women) in 2014, which increased from 2010 to 2014. Survival from liver cancer has improved over the last two decades. The 5-year relative survival rate was markedly increased from 10.7% in those diagnosed with liver cancer between 1993 and 1995 to 32.8% in those diagnosed between 2010 and 2014. The epidemiology of liver cancer is influenced by that of underlying liver diseases such as viral hepatitis. Substantial progress has been made in the prevention and treatment of viral hepatitis; however, uncontrolled alcoholic liver disease, obesity and diabetes appears to have the potential to emerge as major causes for liver cancer. Depending on the success of the control of risk factors, the epidemiology of liver cancer in Korea may change.

Impact of viral hepatitis aetiology on survival outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma: A large multicentre cohort study

While HBV and HCV are risk factors for HCC, uncertainty exists as to whether these viral infections have prognostic significance in HCC. Thus, we compared the overall survival of patients with HBV, HCV and nonviral HCC, and evaluated whether the presence of HBV and HCV predicts patient outcomes. We conducted a multicentre study of HCC cases diagnosed at six Melbourne tertiary hospitals between Jan 2000-Dec 2014. Patient demographics, liver disease and tumour characteristics and patient outcomes were obtained from hospital databases, computer records and the Victorian Death Registry. Survival outcomes were compared between HBV, HCV and nonviral hepatitis cases and predictors of survival determined using Cox proportional hazards regression. There were 1436 new HCC cases identified including 776 due to viral hepatitis (HBV 235, HCV 511, HBV-HCV 30) and 660 from nonviral causes. The median survival of HBV, HCV and nonviral HCC patients was 59.1, 28.4 and 20.9 months, respectively (P<.0001). On multivariate analysis, independent risk factors for survival included HCC aetiology, gender, BCLC stage, serum AFP, total number and size of lesions, and serum creatinine and albumin. After adjusting for these and method of detection, HBV remained an independent predictor of improved overall survival when compared to both nonviral (HR 0.60%, 95% CI 0.35-0.98; P=.03) and HCV-related HCC (HR 0.51%, 95% CI 0.30-0.85; P=.01). In this large multicentre study, HBV is independently associated with improved overall survival compared with HCV and nonviral-related HCC. Further studies are needed to determine the underlying factor(s) responsible.

All-treatment array of hepatocellular carcinoma from initial diagnosis to death: observation of cumulative treatments

PURPOSE

In clinical practice, most patients with hepatocellular carcinoma require subsequent treatments for remaining, progressing, or recurring tumors. We investigated all-treatment array and outcomes in an HCC cohort from initial diagnosis to death.

METHODS

We enrolled 1687 consecutive patients with HCC who underwent initial diagnosis and treatment at the National Cancer Center, Korea, from January 2004 to December 2009.

RESULTS

In total, 1357 patients (80.4%) showed RPRTs during median 20.4-month follow-up. Initial transplantation resulted in the least rate (32.3%) of RPRTs. Median treatment frequency was 3.0 times (range 1-20) and 382 patients (27.3%) received treatments ≥6 times. The median treatment frequency was different based on four factors (p < 0.05): age, tumor stage, tumor type and initial treatment modality. Patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage 0 received less frequent treatments. As the stage progressed from 0 to B, the median treatment frequency increased. Radiofrequency ablation as initial treatment was associated with the longest median treatment interval at 19.0 weeks, followed by resection at 14.1 weeks. The median treatment interval was significantly shorter as the stage progressed (p < 0.01). TACE was most frequently performed for RPRTs; the median number of subsequent TACE was 3 (range 1-19). Subsequent treatment array was very heterogeneous, and no certain pattern was found.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that the survival outcome of patients with HCC is based on the results of cumulative multiple treatments rather than an initial treatment. It is time to consider prospective studies evaluating sequential treatment array of HCC.

Clinical features and outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma complicated with bile duct invasion

Background/Aims

Little is known about the treatment or outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) complicated with bile duct invasion.

Methods

A total of 247 consecutive HCC patients with bile duct invasion at initial diagnosis were retrospectively included.

Results

The majority of patients had Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage C HCC (66.8%). Portal vein tumor thrombosis was present in 166 (67.2%) patients. Median survival was 4.1 months. Various modalities of treatment were initially employed including surgical resection (10.9%), repeated transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) (42.5%), and conservative management (42.9%). Among the patients with obstructive jaundice (n=88), successful biliary drainage was associated with better overall survival rate. Among the patients with BCLC stage C, overall survival differed depending on the initial treatment for HCC; surgical resection, TACE, systemic chemotherapy, and conservative management showed overall survival rates of 11.5, 6.0 ,2.4, and 1.6 months, respectively. After adjusting for confounders, surgical resection and repeated TACE were significant prognostic factors for HCC patients with bile duct invasion (hazard ratios 0.47 and 0.39, Ps <0.001, respectively).

Conclusions

The survival of HCC patients with bile duct invasion at initial diagnosis is generally poor. However, aggressive treatments for HCC such as resection or biliary drainage may be beneficial therapeutic options for patients with preserved liver function.

A model predicting survival of patients with recurrent or progressive hepatocellular carcinoma: the MORE score

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Most prognostic models for hepatocellular carcinoma are based on data at the time of diagnosis. However, the disease frequently recurs or progresses after initial treatment, with changes in tumor burden and clinical status. Therefore, we developed a risk score model to predict survival of hepatocellular carcinoma patients at the time of disease recurrence or progression.

METHODS

Of 1972 patients newly diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma at the National Cancer Center, Korea, between January 2004 and December 2009, 1301 with recurrent or progressive disease were enrolled. They were randomly classified into a development (75%, n = 976) and a validation cohort (25%, n = 325). A survival prediction method was established in the development cohort using the multivariate Cox proportional hazards model, and its performance was evaluated on the validation cohort.

RESULTS

A model predicting survival of patients with recurrent or progressive hepatocellular carcinoma was developed using some known independent prognostic factors for overall survival: age, albumin, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score, tumor burden, serum alpha-fetoprotein level, and presence of ascites. In addition, initial treatment modality and best response after initial treatment were also independent prognostic factors and were incorporated in the model. The C-statistics and χ² statistics of this novel score for the validation cohort were 0.808 (95% CI: 0.781-0.834) and 4.408 for 3-year survival.

CONCLUSIONS

A new model to predict survival of patients with recurrent or progressive hepatocellular carcinoma was developed and validated. This model may be useful for planning subsequent treatments.

Clinical characteristics and potential aetiologies of non-B non-C hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis B virus endemic area

BACKGROUND & AIMS

We investigated potential aetiologies, clinical characteristics and prognosis of non-B non-C (NBNC) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients in hepatitis B virus (HBV) endemic area, according to potential causes such as previous HBV exposure, chronic alcohol intake and metabolic syndrome.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Among 4690 HCC patients treated at Asan Medical Center between 2007 and 2009, 523 were newly diagnosed with NBNC HCC, and their medical records and survival data were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS

Among 321 NBNC HCC patients whose hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) test results were available, 81.0%, 37.1% and 15.5% had anti-HBc positivity, chronic alcohol intake and metabolic syndrome respectively. One-hundred and fifty-two patients (47.4%) had previous exposure to HBV without chronic alcohol intake or metabolic syndrome. Hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) was positive in 48.0% of the 523 NBNC HCC patients, which was much lower than that in general Korean population, and 52.3% of anti-HBc-positive NBNC HCC patients were negative for anti-HBs. Anti-HBc-negative alcoholic patients presented with more advanced cirrhosis with Child-Pugh class B/C liver function than anti-HBc-positive patients (P = 0.002). In multivariate analysis, baseline liver function, alpha-foetoprotein levels and tumour stage were significant prognostic factors and aetiology did not affect patient survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Prior HBV infection could be a potential aetiology in over 40% of NBNC HCC patients in HBV endemic area. Positivity for anti-HBc and negativity for anti-HBs may be a serologic surrogate marker for occult HBV infection in these area. The prognosis of NBNC HCC was determined by tumour stage and underlying liver function.

Trends and Patterns of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment in Korea

Multiple therapeutic modalities are available for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment. We aimed to evaluate the trends for HCC treatment in Korea. Recent trends and patterns in treatment modalities were assessed in HCC patients who first registered for the Health Insurance Review Assessment Service between 2008 and 2012. From 2009 to 2012, 57,690 patients were diagnosed with HCC. Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) was the most common treatment modality for initial treatment. Curative treatment modalities like hepatic resection, liver transplantation, and local ablation therapy increased gradually. The 3 most common treatment modalities (hepatic resection, local ablation therapy, TACE) used after initial treatment in 2009 were studied. Following initial hepatic resection, 44.5% of patients required re-treatment. TACE was the most common modality (in 48.3% of cases), while 15.0% of patients received local ablation therapy. After local ablation therapy, 55.4% of patients were re-treated, wherein 45.0% of patients received TACE and 31.5% received local ablation therapy. Following initial TACE, 73.9% patients were re-treated, most commonly with TACE (57.7%) followed by local ablation therapy (12.8%). While there were no significant differences between the initial and re-treatment modalities, various multiple treatments followed the initial treatment. The treatment modalities were interchangeable.

The management and prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: what has changed in 20 years?

BACKGROUND & AIMS

There has been remarkable progress in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during the last several decades, but its effect on the prognosis of HCC patient needs clarification. We analysed the changes that affected prognosis of HCC patients diagnosed over two different eras.

METHODS

A retrospective study of 1318 patients diagnosed with HCC from 1986 to 2012 was conducted. Analysis was done according to two cohorts, cohort 1 (patients diagnosed with HCC from 1986 to 1992) and cohort 2 (patients diagnosed from 2006 to 2012).

RESULTS

Hepatitis B virus was the most common cause of liver disease for both cohorts (66.2% and 66.0%). The proportion of patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage 0/A was significantly lower in cohort 1 than in cohort 2 (14.4% vs. 39.5%, P < 0.001). The proportions of patients diagnosed during surveillance and general health check-up were significantly higher in cohort 2 than in cohort 1 (28.6% vs. 10.6% and 26.3% vs. 7.9%, respectively) while those diagnosed during symptomatic evaluation was significantly higher in cohort 1 than in cohort 2 (45.1 vs. 81.4%, P < 0.001). Surgical resection rate was similar between the two cohorts (26.1% vs 26%) while the transcatheter arterial chemoembolization rate which was the highest in cohort 1 (40.6%) was overtaken by radiofrequency ablation in cohort 2 (55%) at BCLC stage 0/A. Median survival duration in cohort 2 was significantly longer than cohort 1 (65.0 vs. 7.9 months, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Implementation of national cancer surveillance and the advancement of treatment modalities have likely led to early detection of HCC and improvements in prognosis over the last 20 years.

Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Cryptogenic Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a Hepatitis B Virus-Endemic Area

OBJECTIVES

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the most common cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in South Korea, but a high prevalence of metabolic diseases may result in increases in the incidence of cryptogenic HCC (cHCC). We studied characteristics of the cHCC in a single-center cohort.

METHODS

A cohort of 1,784 HCC patients newly diagnosed and treated at the National Cancer Center, Korea, between 2004 and 2009 was reviewed and analyzed.

RESULTS

The cause of HCC was categorized as cHCC, HBV, hepatitis C virus (HCV), or alcohol. Overall, 162 (9.1%) patients of the HCC cohort had cHCC, and their mean age was 61.9 years. The median survival of cHCC patients was 24.7 months, which was the second shortest among the four groups after HBV HCC. cHCC patients had the largest tumor size (mean 7.4 cm) and the second highest proportion of poor prognostic factors such as the proportion of poorly defined tumors and extrahepatic spread in imaging studies. cHCC patients had better survival than HBV HCC patients according to multivariate analysis. Among cHCC patients, 137 (84.6%) had anti-HBc IgG antibodies, but this sub-group had different clinical features to those of HBV HCC patients. The body mass index (BMI) and hyperglycemia and hypercholesterolemia levels in cHCC patients were similar to those in HCV and alcoholic HCC patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Anti-HBc IgG antibodies were present in most cHCC patients, but cHCC patients had better survival than HBV HCC patients on multivariate analysis. However, cHCC patients had a larger mean tumor size and more aggressive tumor characteristics than HCV HCC or alcoholic HCC patients did. It is hoped that this study will contribute to a better understanding of cHCC in HBV-endemic areas.

Comparison of survival outcomes after anatomical resection and non-anatomical resection in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS

Liver resection is a curative procedure performed worldwide for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Deciding on the appropriate resection range for postoperative hepatic function preservation is an important surgical consideration. This study compares survival outcomes of HCC patients who underwent anatomical or non-anatomical resection, to determine which offers the best clinical survival benefit.

METHODS

One hundred and thirty-one patients underwent liver resection with HCC, between January 2007 and February 2015, and were divided into two groups: those who underwent anatomical liver resection (n=88) and those who underwent non-anatomical liver resection (n=43). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regressions were used to compare the disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates between the groups.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up periods were 27 and 40 months in the anatomical and non-anatomical groups, respectively (p=0.229). The 3- and 5-year DFS rates were 70% and 60% in the anatomical group and 62% and 48% in the non-anatomical group, respectively. The 3 and 5-year OS rates were 94% and 78% in the anatomical group, and 86% and 80% in the non-anatomical group, respectively. The anatomical group tended to show better outcomes, but the findings were not significant. However, a relative risk of OS between the anatomical and non-anatomical group was 0.234 (95% CI, 0.061-0.896; p=0.034), which is statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Although statistical significance was not detected in survival curves, anatomical resection showed better results. In this respect, anatomical resection is more likely to perform in HCC patients with preserve liver function than non-anatomical resection.

Korean Version of a Model to Estimate Survival in Ambulatory Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma (K-MESIAH)

Background and Aim

A model to estimate survival in ambulatory hepatocellular carcinoma patients (MESIAH) is useful for estimating patient prognosis but needs improvement for Korean patients, most of whom have a hepatitis B virus. We aimed to modify the MESIAH for better prognostication through enhancing calibration for Korean patient population (K-MESIAH).

Methods

Utilizing a cohort of 1,969 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients from the National Cancer Center of Korea between 2004 and 2009, a survival prediction model was developed using the Cox proportional hazards model. The model’s performance was evaluated using C-statistical and χ²-statistical analyses. External validation was performed using an independent cohort of 328 patients from the Seoul National University Bundang Hospital.

Results

To develop the K-MESIAH, etiology was added to the original risk factors (age, Model for Endstage Liver Disease, albumin, size of the largest nodule, number of tumor nodules, vascular invasion, metastasis, and alpha fetoprotein) in the MESIAH. From the internal validation study, the C-statistics and χ²-statistics for one-, three-, and five-years of survival were 0.83 (95% Confidence Interval: 0.82−0.85), 49.07; 0.81 (95% Confidence Interval: 0.79−0.82), 28.95; and 0.80 (95% Confidence Interval: 0.79−0.81), 20.93, respectively. The K-MESIAH also showed a high prediction ability for the external validation cohort.

Conclusions

A survival prediction model for Korean HCC patients was developed and validated to have a high level of performance. This K-MESIAH may be more useful in clinical practice and personalized care in a hepatitis B virus endemic area.

2014 KLCSG-NCC Korea Practice Guideline for the Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The guideline for the management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was first developed in 2003 and revised in 2009 by the Korean Liver Cancer Study Group and the National Cancer Center, Korea. Since then, many studies on HCC have been carried out in Korea and other countries. In particular, a substantial body of knowledge has been accumulated on diagnosis, staging, and treatment specific to Asian characteristics, especially Koreans, prompting the proposal of new strategies. Accordingly, the new guideline presented herein was developed on the basis of recent evidence and expert opinions. The primary targets of this guideline are patients with suspicious or newly diagnosed HCC. This guideline provides recommendations for the initial treatment of patients with newly diagnosed HCC.

2014 Korean Liver Cancer Study Group-National Cancer Center Korea practice guideline for the management of hepatocellular carcinoma

The guideline for the management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was first developed in 2003 and revised in 2009 by the Korean Liver Cancer Study Group and the National Cancer Center, Korea. Since then, many studies on HCC have been carried out in Korea and other countries. In particular, a substantial body of knowledge has been accumulated on diagnosis, staging, and treatment specific to Asian characteristics, especially Koreans, prompting the proposal of new strategies. Accordingly, the new guideline presented herein was developed on the basis of recent evidence and expert opinions. The primary targets of this guideline are patients with suspicious or newly diagnosed HCC. This guideline provides recommendations for the initial treatment of patients with newly diagnosed HCC.

A comparison of clinical manifestations and prognoses between patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and Child-Pugh scores of 5 or 6

The objective of this work is to compare the outcomes between the Child-Pugh score 5 (A5 group) and Child-Pugh score 6 (A6 group) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Whether HCC patients with A5 and A6 groups have different prognoses is still obscure. We enrolled 2462 consecutive treatment-naive HCC patients from 2007 to 2012. Among them, 1486 patients had Child-Pugh grade A, including 1016 in the A5 group and 470 in the A6 group. Factors in the prognoses were analyzed by multivariate analysis. Compared with those in the A6 group, patients in the A5 group were younger, had higher proportions of tumors within the Milan criteria, and more of them underwent curative therapies. The cumulative survival rates at 5 years were 51.3% and 37.1% for patients in the A5 and A6 groups, respectively (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that the independent risk factors associated with poor overall survival were nonhepatitis C virus carrier, serum albumin ≤ 4 g/dL, aspartate aminotransferase > 45 U/L, α-fetoprotein > 20 ng/mL, multinodularity, tumor size > 3 cm, vascular invasion, and noncurative therapies, but not the Child-Pugh numeric score. The Child-Pugh numeric score had a significant prognostic effect only in patients who had tumors beyond the Milan criteria and received noncurative therapies. HCC patients with A5 group had a better overall survival rate than those with A6 group due to the early tumor stage and higher rate of receiving curative treatments. Tumor factors and treatment modalities were more important than the Child-Pugh numeric score.

Considerations for radiation therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma: the radiation oncologists' perspective

Although the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging system does not recommend radiation therapy (RT) as a locoregional modality in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), many prospective and retrospective studies have reported excellent local control with favorable survival rates after RT using modern techniques. Additionally, there have been several comparative or meta-analysis results reporting the superiority of RT in unresectable HCC. Therefore, it might be more reasonable to apply RT in unresectable HCC as an alternative locoregional modality to improve local control in HCC. However, several considerations for the application of RT in HCC exist. The considerations for RT in HCC are purpose, combination treatment and technique. The purpose of RT should be based on baseline liver status as well as tumor extent and location. There are several reasonable advantages in local, intrahepatic and extrahepatic control when combined with other modalities, but it could lead to overtreatment in some cases. The technical considerations according to the purpose and combination modality are the final step. For the application of RT in HCC, the purpose of RT, combination strategy and technical considerations should be taken into account.

Validation of a model to estimate survival in ambulatory patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a single-centre cohort study

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is determined by hepatic function and tumour extent. Recently, a new Model to Estimate Survival in Ambulatory HCC patients (MESIAH) was proposed to predict overall survival in ambulatory HCC patients. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic performance of the MESIAH score in an independent cohort of HCC patients.

METHODS

A cohort of 1969 patients newly diagnosed with HCC at the National Cancer Center, Korea between January 2004 and December 2009 was used for validation of the MESIAH score. The model's performance was assessed using C-statistics, the likelihood ratio (LR) χ2 value and Akaike information criterion (AIC).

RESULTS

Patients in the cohort had a median age of 56 years and 83.2% were men. Hepatitis B virus infection was present in 74.6 and 81.6% had a Child-Pugh class A. The median overall survival was 21.4 months. The MESIAH score had a higher degree of discrimination, with a C-statistic of 0.792 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.782-0.803], when compared with the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system [0.665 (95% CI, 0.653-0.678), P<0.001]. The LR χ2 value and the AIC of MESIAH were also better than those of BCLC, Cancer of the Liver Italian Program, Japan Integrated Scoring and Tokyo score. The observed survival in the cohort closely matched that predicted by the MESIAH score.

CONCLUSIONS

The new prognostication model MESIAH accurately estimated the overall survival of Korean HCC patients and may be useful in future research as well as individual patient care.