The General Rules for the Study of Primary Liver Cancer

Macroscopic Characterization of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: An Underexploited Source of Prognostic Factors

The macroscopic appearance of a tumor such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may be defined as its phenotype which is de facto dictated by its genotype. Therefore, macroscopic characteristics of HCC are unlikely random but rather reflect genomic traits of cancer, presumably acting as a valuable source of information that can be retrieved and exploited to infer prognosis. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the available data on the prognostic value of macroscopic characterization in HCC. A total of 57 studies meeting eligible criteria were identified, including patients undergoing liver resection (LR; 47 studies, 83%) or liver transplant (LT; 9 studies, 16%). The following macroscopic variables were investigated: tumor size (n = 42 studies), number of nodules (n = 28), vascular invasion (n = 24), bile duct invasion (n = 6), growth pattern (n = 15), resection margin (n = 11), tumor location (n = 6), capsule (n = 2) and satellite (n = 1). Although the selected studies provided insightful data with notable prognostic performances, a lack of standardization and substantial gaps were noted in the report and the analysis of gross findings. This topic remains incompletely covered. While the available studies underscored the value of macroscopic variables in HCC prognostication, important lacks were also observed. Macroscopic characterization of HCC is likely an underexploited source of prognostic factors that must be actively explored by future multidisciplinary research.

Preoperative Prediction of Microvascular Invasion with Gadoxetic Acid-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients with Single Hepatocellular Carcinoma: The Implication of Surgical Decision on the Extent of Liver Resection

Introduction

Microvascular invasion (MVI) is one of the most important prognostic factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence, but its application in preoperative clinical decisions is limited. This study aimed to identify preoperative predictive factors for MVI in HCC and further evaluate oncologic outcomes of different types and extents of hepatectomy according to stratified risk of MVI.

Methods

Patients with surgically resected single HCC (≤5 cm) who underwent preoperative gadoxetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were included in a single-center retrospective study. Two radiologists reviewed the images with no clinical, pathological, or prognostic information. Significant predictive factors for MVI were identified using logistic regression analysis against pathologic MVI and used to stratify patients. In the subgroup analysis, long-term outcomes of the stratified patients were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank test and compared between anatomical and nonanatomical or major and minor resection.

Results

A total of 408 patients, 318 men and 90 women, with a mean age of 56.7 years were included. Elevated levels of tumor markers (alpha-fetoprotein [α-FP] ≥25 ng/mL and PIVKA-II ≥40 mAU/mL) and three MRI features (tumor size ≥3 cm, non-smooth tumor margin, and arterial peritumoral enhancement) were independent predictive factors for MVI. As the MVI risk increased from low (no predictive factor) and intermediate (1-2 factors) to high-risk (3-4 factors), recurrence-free and overall survival of each group significantly decreased (p = 0.001). In the high MVI risk group, 5-year cumulative recurrence rate was significantly lower in patients who underwent major compared to minor hepatectomy (26.6 vs. 59.8%, p = 0.027).

Conclusion

Tumor markers and MRI features can predict the risk of MVI and prognosis after hepatectomy. Patients with high MVI risk had the worst prognosis among the three groups, and major hepatectomy improved long-term outcomes in these high-risk patients.

National guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma

A consensus meeting of national experts from all major national hepatobiliary centres in the country was held on May 26, 2023, at the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute & Research Centre (PKLI & RC) after initial consultations with the experts. The Pakistan Society for the Study of Liver Diseases (PSSLD) and PKLI & RC jointly organised this meeting. This effort was based on a comprehensive literature review to establish national practice guidelines for hilar cholangiocarcinoma (hCCA). The consensus was that hCCA is a complex disease and requires a multidisciplinary team approach to best manage these patients. This coordinated effort can minimise delays and give patients a chance for curative treatment and effective palliation. The diagnostic and staging workup includes high-quality computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography. Brush cytology or biopsy utilizing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is a mainstay for diagnosis. However, histopathologic confirmation is not always required before resection. Endoscopic ultrasound with fine needle aspiration of regional lymph nodes and positron emission tomography scan are valuable adjuncts for staging. The only curative treatment is the surgical resection of the biliary tree based on the Bismuth-Corlette classification. Selected patients with unresectable hCCA can be considered for liver transplantation. Adjuvant chemotherapy should be offered to patients with a high risk of recurrence. The use of preoperative biliary drainage and the need for portal vein embolisation should be based on local multidisciplinary discussions. Patients with acute cholangitis can be drained with endoscopic or percutaneous biliary drainage. Palliative chemotherapy with cisplatin and gemcitabine has shown improved survival in patients with irresectable and recurrent hCCA.

Histological subtypes of hepatocellular carcinoma: Their clinical and prognostic significance

Assigning a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to an appropriate subtype is important because this guarantees the diagnosis and treatment and allows decisions regarding the prognosis of the patient. HCC subtyping is usually based on the World Health Organization (WHO) classification and the 2019 fifth edition is the latest version. However, the WHO classification system is still in evolution and has limited clinical relevance. We aimed to evaluate the clinical relevance of HCC subtyping and to reappraise some of the major subtypes of HCC. Our archived cases (n = 589) were reclassified according to the 2019 WHO system. The percentage of each subtype was mostly similar to that in the WHO classification. However, on the contrary to the 2019 WHO system, clear cell type HCC was associated with more frequent recurrence or metastasis. Meanwhile, macrotrabecular massive HCC was related to poor prognosis as demonstrated in the 2019 WHO system and should be described in the pathology report. For steatohepatitic HCC, there is a debate on whether it is a true subtype because the steatohepatitis morphology may or may not be present in the background liver. In our study, 44 % of steatohepatitic HCCs (n = 19/43) presented underlying steatohepatitis. Additionally, the background cirrhosis did not influence survival in the HCC patients, although the 2019 WHO system indicates the presence of cirrhosis as a poor prognostic factor. In conclusion, although it is not perfect yet, HCC subtyping based on the 2019 WHO system provides valuable information to manage patients with HCC.

Non-Invasive Imaging Biomarkers to Predict the Hepatopulmonary Shunt Fraction Before Transarterial Radioembolization in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Purpose

To identify disease-specific profiles comprising patient characteristics and imaging biomarkers on contrast-enhanced (CE)-computed tomography (CT) that enable the non-invasive prediction of the hepatopulmonary shunt fraction (HPSF) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) before resin-based transarterial radioembolization (TARE).

Patients and Methods

This institutional review board-approved (EA2/071/19) retrospective study included 56 patients with HCC recommended for TARE. All patients received tri-phasic CE-CT within 6 weeks prior to an angiographic TARE evaluation study using technetium-99m macroaggregated albumin. Imaging biomarkers representative of tumor extent, morphology, and perfusion, as well as disease-specific clinical parameters, were used to perform data-driven variable selection with backward elimination to generate multivariable linear regression models predictive of HPSF. Results were used to create clinically applicable risk scores for patients scheduled for TARE. Additionally, Cox regression was used to identify independent risk factors for poor overall survival (OS).

Results

Mean HPSF was 13.11% ± 7.6% (range: 2.8- 35.97%). Index tumor diameter (p = 0.014) or volume (p = 0.034) in combination with index tumor non-rim arterial phase enhancement (APHE) (p < 0.001) and washout (p < 0.001) were identified as significant non-invasive predictors of HPSF on CE-CT. Specifically, the prediction models revealed that the HPSF increased with index lesion diameter or volume and showed higher HPSF if non-rim APHE was present. In contrast, index tumor washout was associated with decreased HPSF levels. Independent risk factors of poorer OS were radiogenomic venous invasion and ascites at baseline.

Conclusion

The featured prediction models can be used for the initial non-invasive estimation of HPSF in patients with HCC before TARE to assist in clinical treatment evaluation while potentially sparing ineligible patients from the angiographic shunt evaluation study.

Microvascular Invasion in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Review of Its Definition, Clinical Significance, and Comprehensive Management

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common types of malignancies in the world, and most HCC patients undergoing liver resection relapse within five years. Microvascular invasion (MVI) is an independent factor for both the disease-free survival and overall survival of HCC patients. At present, the definition of MVI is still controversial, and a global consensus on how to evaluate MVI precisely is needed. Moreover, this review summarizes the current knowledge and clinical significance of MVI for HCC patients. In terms of management, antiviral therapy, wide surgical margins, and postoperative transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) could effectively reduce the incidence of MVI or improve the disease-free survival and overall survival of HCC patients with MVI. However, other perioperative management practices, such as anatomical resection, radiotherapy, targeted therapy and immune therapy, should be clarified in future investigations.

[Up-to-date Knowledge on the Pathological Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has heterogeneous molecular and pathological features and biological behavior. Large-scale genetic studies of HCC were accumulated, and a pathological-molecular classification of HCC was proposed. Approximately 35% of HCCs can be classified into distinct histopathological subtypes according to their molecular characteristics. Among recently identified subtypes, macrotrabecular massive HCC, neutrophil-rich HCC, vessels encapsulating tumor clusters HCC, and progenitor phenotype HCC (HCC with CK19 expression) are associated with a poor prognosis, whereas the lymphocyte-rich HCC subtype is related to a better prognosis. This review provides up-to-date knowledge on the pathological diagnosis of HCC according to the updated World Health Organization Classification of Digestive System Tumors 5th ed.

Prognostic significance of viable tumor size measurement in hepatocellular carcinomas after preoperative locoregional treatment

Background

Preoperative locoregional treatment (LRT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) often induces intratumoral necrosis without affecting the overall tumor size, and residual viable tumor size (VTS) on imaging is an important clinical parameter for assessing post-treatment response. However, for surgical specimens, it is unclear whether the VTS would be more relevant to prognosis compared to total tumor size (TTS).

Methods

A total of 142 surgically resected solitary HCC cases were retrospectively reviewed. The TTS and VTS were assessed by applying the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors method to the resected specimens, and correlated with the clinicopathological features and survival.

Results

As applying VTS, 13/142 cases (9.2%) were down-staged to ypT1a. Although the survival analysis results for overall survival according to TTS or VTS were similar, VTS was superior to predict disease-free survival (DFS; p = .023) compared to TTS (p = .08). In addition, multivariate analysis demonstrated VTS > 2 cm to be an independent predictive factor for decreased DFS (p = .001). In the subpopulation of patients with LRT (n = 54), DFS in HCCs with TTS or VTS > 2 cm were significantly shorter than those with TTS or VTS ≤ 2 cm (p = .047 and p = .001, respectively). Interestingly, HCCs with TTS > 2 cm but down-staged to VTS ≤ 2 cm after preoperative LRT had similar survival to those with TTS ≤ 2 cm.

Conclusions

Although the prognostic impact of tumor size was similar regardless of whether TTS or VTS was applied, reporting VTS may help to increase the number of candidates for surgery in HCC patients with preoperative LRT.

Risk Factors for Beyond Milan Recurrence After Hepatic Resection for Single Hepatocellular Carcinoma No Larger Than 5 Centimeters

Hepatic resection (HR) is considered a treatment of choice for a single hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ≤5 cm in patients with preserved liver function. However, it is possible for these patients to develop a severe form of recurrence (beyond Milan recurrence [BMR] criteria). This recurrence could have been avoided if liver transplantation (LT) was performed primarily, as LT is believed to yield a more favorable oncological outcome compared with HR. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors for BMR after HR and to verify whether primary LT can provide a more favorable outcome in patients with BMR risk factors. Data from 493 patients who underwent HR for HCC ≤5 cm between 1995 and 2016 were analyzed. Among them, 74 patients (15%) experienced BMR. The 10-year survival rate of patients with BMR was significantly low compared with that of patients without BMR (22.6% versus 79.8%; P < 0.01). In multivariate analysis, calculated hepatic venous pressure gradient ≥7 mm Hg and microvascular invasion were identified as the risk factors for BMR (P < 0.05). During the same period, 63 eligible patients underwent LT as a primary treatment for HCC ≤5 cm. No significant difference in long-term survival rate was observed when no risk factor for BMR was present in the HR and LT groups (85.5% versus 100%; P = 0.39). However, 10-year survival was poorer in the HR group in the presence of risk factors for BMR (60.6% versus 91.8%; P < 0.001). Among the patients with HCCs ≤5 cm, which are resectable and transplantable, LT is indicated when calculated hepatic venous pressure gradient ≥7 mm Hg and/or microvascular invasion is present.

Hepatocellular carcinoma: a clinical and pathological overview

HCC incidence rates have been rising in the past 3 decades and by 2025 > 1 million individuals will be affected annually. High-throughput sequencing technologies led to the identification of several molecular HCC subclasses that can be broadly grouped into 2 major subgroups, each characterized by specific morphological and phenotypical features. It is likely that this increasing knowledge and a more appropriate characterization of HCC at the pathological level will impact HCC patient management.

Update on Hepatocellular Carcinoma: a Brief Review from Pathologist Standpoint

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common cancers and an important health problem all over the world. Its prognosis is poor. For better patient care, early diagnosis is essential. Although new imaging techniques have a big impact on hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis, histopathological examination is still the gold standard for precise diagnosis. Histopathological evaluation gives exact diagnosis in the meaning of tumor size, histological subtypes, grading, and differential diagnosis from metastasis and other tumors. Immunohistochemistry as a part of diagnostic histopathological technique plays an important role in routine practice. Immunohistochemistry is useful for confirming of hepatocytic origin, supporting hepatocellular malignancy, and differential diagnosis. It also gives prognostic information. There are growing attempts to classify tumors by their molecular genetic signatures. This is also actual for hepatocellular carcinoma. This mini review focuses on the histopathology of hepatocellular carcinoma including subtypes; differential diagnosis and immunohistochemistry as an ancillary diagnostic tool, updated or added entities, i.e., combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma; small hepatocellular carcinoma; correlation with molecular studies; and future perspectives.

Role of tumor margin and ADC change in defining the need for additional treatments after the first TACE in patients with unresectable HCC

PURPOSE

To define the number of TACE sessions needed to improve patients' overall survival (OS) in different subgroups of unresectable HCC.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort included 180 patients who got TACE between 2005-2016 as the initial treatment for unresectable HCC. Tumor margin (well- vs. ill-defined) was determined by two radiologists at baseline. Well-defined group was divided into two groups (ADC-responders vs. ADC-nonresponders) based on %ADC change (ΔADC-cutoff = 25 %). Accordingly, patients were categorized into three groups, ill-defined, well-defined ADC-responders, or well-defined ADC-nonresponders. Cox-analysis was used to compare the survival benefit of multiple TACE in different groups.

RESULTS

Ill-defined HCC (n = 108) was associated with worse survival (HR = 1.95,p < 0.001). Multiple TACE were associated with increased OS (HR = 0.88,p = 0.033) in these patients, with significant survival improvement after ≥4TACE. ΔADC was not related to OS in ill-defined group. In well-defined group (n = 72), multiple TACE were not associated with improved OS (HR = 0.181,p = 0.090). These patients were categorized into two groups based on ΔADC-cutoff. ADC-responders (ΔADC≥25 %) had the longest survival than other groups(p = 0.015). Multiple TACE sessions were not associated with better OS in this group (HR = 1.004,p = 0.982). By contrast, incremental number of TACE were associated with significantly longer OS in ADC-nonresponders (ΔADC<25 %) (HR = 0.79,p = 0.034). These patients' OS significantly improved after ≥3TACE.

CONCLUSION

The survival benefit of sequential TACE sessions varies for different HCC subgroups. There was no significant survival benefit associated with multiple TACE in well-defined lesions responding to the first TACE. The most survival benefit was for ADC-nonresponder well-defined group and it was least for ill-defined HCC group, regardless of ADC-response.

Substantial risk of recurrence even after 5 recurrence-free years in early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma patients

Background/Aims

Although hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is notorious for its high recurrence rate, some patients do not experience recurrence for more than 5 years after resection or radiofrequency ablation for early-stage HCC. For those with five recurrence-free period, the risk of HCC recurrence within the next 5 years remains unknown.

Methods

A total of 1,451 consecutive patients (median, 55 years old; males, 79.0%; hepatitis B virus-related, 79.3%) with good liver function (Child-Pugh class A) diagnosed with early-stage HCC by Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer Staging and received radiofrequency ablation or resection as an initial treatment between 2005 and 2010 were analyzed.

Results

During a median follow-up period of 8.1 years, 961 patients (66.2%) experienced HCC recurrence. The cumulative recurrence rates increased to 39.7%, 60.3%, and 71.0% at 2, 5, and 10 years, respectively, and did not reach a plateau. Five years after HCC diagnosis, 487 patients were alive without experiencing a recurrence. Among them, during a median of 3.9 additional years of follow-up (range, 0.1–9.0 years), 127 patients (26.1%) experienced recurrence. The next 5-year cumulative recurrence rate (5–10 years from initial diagnosis) was 27.0%. Male sex, higher fibrosis-4 scores, and alpha-fetoprotein levels at 5 years were associated with later HCC recurrence among patients who did not experience recurrence for more than 5 years.

Conclusions

The HCC recurrence rate following 5 recurrence-free years after HCC treatment was high, indicating that HCC patients warrant continued HCC surveillance, even after 5 recurrence-free years.

How Should We Assign Large Infiltrative Hepatocellular Carcinomas for Staging?

Infiltrative gross morphology of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is known to be associated with poor prognosis, but this is not considered for staging. A total of 774 HCC patients who underwent curative liver resection were retrospectively reviewed and the prognostic significance of infiltrative type HCC was assessed using the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging systems. Seventy-four patients (9.6%) had infiltrative HCCs with a higher proportion of multifocal tumors, larger tumors, vessel invasion, increased tumor marker levels, and advanced T-stages than those with nodular HCC (all, p < 0.01). Infiltrative morphology was independently associated with lower overall survival (OS), but its impact was significant when the tumor size was ≥ 4 cm (p < 0.001). Under current AJCC and BCLC staging criteria, these large infiltrative HCCs were associated with significantly worse OS in early AJCC T-stages (T1b/T2, p < 0.001) and BCLC stage A/B (both, p < 0.01) but not in late AJCC (T3/T4) and BCLC C. The reassignment of this subtype to T3 and T4 increased the discriminatory ability of AJCC T-staging with lower AIC values (3090 and 3088 vs. 3109) and higher c-index (0.69 and 0.69 vs. 0.67), respectively (both, p < 0.001). Similarly, the reassignment of large infiltrative HCC to BCLC stages B and C also improved the prognostic performance. Large infiltrative HCCs should be assigned to more advanced stages in current staging systems for their prognostic impact.

Post-TACE changes in ADC histogram predict overall and transplant-free survival in patients with well-defined HCC: a retrospective cohort with up to 10 years follow-up

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the role of change in apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) histogram after the first transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in predicting overall and transplant-free survival in well-circumscribed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

Institution database was searched for HCC patients who got conventional TACE during 2005-2016. One hundred four patients with well-circumscribed HCC and complete pre- and post-TACE liver MRI were included. Volumetric MRI metrics including tumor volume, mean ADC, skewness, and kurtosis of ADC histograms were measured. Univariate and multivariable Cox models were used to test the independent role of change in imaging parameters to predict survival. P values < 0.05 were considered significant.

RESULTS

In total, 367 person-years follow-up data were analyzed. After adjusting for baseline liver function, tumor volume, and treatment modality, incremental percent change in ADC (ΔADC) was an independent predictor of longer overall and transplant-free survival (p = 0.009). Overall, a decrease in ADC-kurtosis (ΔkADC) showed a strong role in predicting longer survival (p = 0.021). Patients in the responder group (ΔADC ≥ 35%) had the best survival profile, compared with non-responders (ΔADC < 35%) (p < 0.001). ΔkADC, as an indicator of change in tissue homogeneity, could distinguish between poor and fair survival in non-responders (p < 0.001). It was not a measure of difference among responders (p = 0.244). Non-responders with ΔkADC ≥ 1 (homogeneous post-TACE tumor) had the worst survival outcome (HR = 5.70, p < 0.001), and non-responders with ΔkADC < 1 had a fair survival outcome (HR = 2.51, p = 0.029), compared with responders.

CONCLUSIONS

Changes in mean ADC and ADC kurtosis, as a measure of change in tissue heterogeneity, can be used to predict overall and transplant-free survival in well-circumscribed HCC, in order to monitor early response to TACE and identify patients with treatment failure and poor survival outcome.

KEY POINTS

• Changes in the mean and kurtosis of ADC histograms, as the measures of change in tissue heterogeneity, can be used to predict overall and transplant-free survival in patients with well-defined HCC. • A ≥ 35% increase in volumetric ADC after TACE is an independent predictor of good survival, regardless of the change in ADC histogram kurtosis. • In patients with < 35% ADC change, a decrease in ADC histogram kurtosis indicates partial response and fair survival, while ∆kurtosis ≥ 1 correlates with the worst survival outcome.

Survival according to recurrence patterns after resection for transplantable hepatocellular carcinoma in HBV endemic area: Appraisal of liver transplantation strategy

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Since there is a shortage of liver donors, we investigated recurrence patterns and outcomes after liver resection (LR) to determine the feasibility of salvage liver transplantation (SLT).

METHODS

We analyzed 468 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) within the Milan criteria (MC) who were mainly associated with Hepatitis B virus infection (76.3%) and had undergone curative LR as an initial treatment.

RESULTS

The overall survival (OS) rates were 86.6% and 67.4% at 5 and 10 years after LR, respectively. During a median follow-up of 59 months, 211 patients experienced recurrences including 175 (37.4%) within MC and 36 (7.7%) beyond MC. Survival was lowest in patients with beyond MC-recurrence followed by within MC- and no-recurrence groups (26.5%, 86.6%, and 94.7% at 5 years, respectively, P<0.001). Independent pathologic predictors of recurrence beyond MC were the presence of satellite nodules, microvascular invasion, and unfavorable gross findings (multinodular confluent and infiltrative) (all, P<0.05). Patients with all three risk factors experienced recurrence with the highest cumulative incidence of mortality. Among 173 patients with recurrence within MC, the cumulative incidence of HCC progression beyond MC despite resection and locoregional treatment (LRT) was 29% and 60% at 5 and 10 years after recurrence, respectively, and their 10-year OS rate was 25.8%.

CONCLUSION

Curative LR achieved a 5-year survival of>85% in patients with transplantable HCC, but early SLT after recurrence within MC is advocated because of poor survival and high risk of progression thereafter. Further, prophylactic LT could be considered for those with high risk of recurrence.

Risk of Liver Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Fontan Operation: A Need for Surveillance

Liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are serious late complications that can occur after the Fontan procedure. This study aimed to investigate the cumulative incidence of cirrhosis and HCC and to identify specific features distinguishing HCC from benign arterial-phase hyperenhancing (APHE) nodules that developed after the Fontan operation. We retrospectively enrolled 313 post-Fontan patients who had been followed for more than 5 years and had undergone ultrasound or computed tomography (CT) of the liver between January 2000 and August 2018. Cirrhosis was diagnosed radiologically. The estimated cumulative incidence rates of cirrhosis at 5, 10, 20, and 30 years after the Fontan operation were 1.3%, 9.2%, 56.6%, and 97.9%, respectively. Multiphasic CT revealed that 18 patients had APHE nodules that were ≥1 cm in size and showed washout in the portal venous phase (PVP)/delayed phase, which met current noninvasive HCC diagnosis criteria. Among them, only seven patients (38.9%, 7/18) were diagnosed with HCC. After cirrhosis developed, the annual incidence of HCC was 1.04%. The appearance of washout in the PVP (p = 0.006), long time elapsed since the initial Fontan operation (p = 0.04), large nodule size (p = 0.03), and elevated serum α-fetoprotein (AFP) level (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with HCC. In conclusion, cirrhosis is a frequent late complication after Fontan operation, especially after 10 years, and HCC is not a rare complication after cirrhosis development. Diagnosis of HCC should not be based solely on the current imaging criteria, and washout on PVP and clinical features might be helpful to differentiate HCC nodules from benign APHE nodules.

Subclassification of Microscopic Vascular Invasion in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether subclassification of microscopic vascular invasion (MiVI) affects the long-term outcome after curative surgical resection or liver transplantation (LT) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

The most important factor for TNM staging in HCC is MiVI, which includes all vascular invasions detected on microscopic examination. However, there is a broad spectrum of current definitions for MiVI.

METHODS

In total, 412 consecutive patients with HCC who underwent curative surgical resection without any preoperative treatment or gross vascular invasion were histologically evaluated for MiVI. Patients with MiVI were subclassified into 2 groups: microvessel invasion (MI; n = 164) only and microscopic portal vein invasion (MPVI; n = 36). Clinicopathologic features were compared between 2 groups (MI vs MPVI), whereas disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) after resection were analyzed among 3 groups (no vascular invasion [NVI] vs MI vs MPVI). These subclassifications were validated in a cohort of 197 patients with HCC who underwent LT.

RESULTS

The MPVI group showed more aggressive tumor characteristics, such as higher tumor marker levels (alpha-fetoprotein, P = 0.006; protein induced by vitamin K absence-II, P = 0.001) and poorer differentiation (P = 0.011), than the MI group. In multivariate analysis, both MI and MPVI were independent prognostic factors for DFS (P = 0.001 and <0.001, respectively) and OS (P = 0.005 and <0.001, respectively). In the validation cohort, 5-year DFS was 89%, 67.9%, and 0% in the NVI, MI, and MPVI groups, respectively (P < 0.001), whereas 5-year OS was 79.1%, 55.0%, and 15.4%, respectively (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Based on subclassification of MiVI in HCC, MPVI was associated with more aggressive clinicopathologic characteristics and poorer survival than MI only. Therefore, the original MiVI classification should be divided into MI and MPVI.

Hepatocellular carcinoma with extrahepatic metastasis: Are there still candidates for transarterial chemoembolization as an initial treatment?

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Currently, sorafenib is indicated for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with extrahepatic metastasis (EHM), and many other systemic agents are becoming available. However, a few HCC patients with EHM still undergo transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for intrahepatic tumor control. We aimed to investigate whether TACE is appropriate for patients with EHM, and if so, which subgroup may benefit from TACE.

METHODS

A total of 186 consecutive HCC patients (median: 55 years, male: 86.0%, hepatitis B virus: 81.7%, Child-Pugh Class A: 83.3%) with EHM (nodal metastasis: 60.8%, distant metastasis: 39.2%) between 2010 and 2014 were analyzed. Initial treatment included sorafenib in 69 patients, and TACE in 117 patients.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 6.6 months (range: 0.2-94.6 months), mortality was observed in 90.3% (168/186). The median survival was better for patients who received TACE than those treated with sorafenib (8.2 months vs. 4.6 months, p < 0.001). However, baseline characteristics varied between patients initially treated with TACE and sorafenib, and the treatment modality was not an independent factor associated with overall survival (hazard ratio: 1.19, 95% confidence interval: 0.81-1.75, p = 0.36). In sub-group analysis, TACE was associated with better survival only among younger patients and those with segmental/lobar portal vein invasion.

CONCLUSION

In HCC patients with EHM, TACE was not an independent favorable prognostic factor compared to sorafenib. The concept of intrahepatic control in HCC patients with EHM may need to be reevaluated in the era of promising systemic therapies, although there can be specific subgroups who still benefit from TACE.

The 7th/8th American Joint Committee on Cancer and the Modified Union for International Cancer Control Staging System for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

PURPOSE

Although many staging systems have been proposed for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), there is no globally accepted system due to the extreme heterogeneity of the disease. We aimed to compare the results of the 7th/8th American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) and the modified Union for International Cancer Control (mUICC) staging systems in patients with HCC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We collected data from 792 patients who underwent hepatic resection at our center. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to determine disease-free survival and overall survival. To evaluate homogeneity, '-2 log likelihood' was calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression. To measure discriminatory ability, the linear trend chi method and the Cochran-Armitage test for trend were used. The ability to accurately predict survival was verified by cross-validation analysis.

RESULTS

Kaplan-Meier curves for disease-free survival and overall survival showed mUICC to be superior to the 7th/8th AJCC. The homogeneity test indicated that mUICC was the best for both disease-free survival and overall survival. In the discriminatory ability test, the chi-square value of mUICC was the best for disease-free survival, while the 7th AJCC had the best value for overall survival. In the cross-validation analysis, all three staging systems had significant predictive power.

CONCLUSION

mUICC seemed to be superior to the 7th/8th AJCC after analyzing the data of our surgical patients, although the geographic heterogeneity of HCC might result in differences between the staging systems. We believe that, while the three staging systems allow for the clear stratification of patients into prognostic groups, mUICC may be more appropriate in HCC.

Hepatobiliary MRI as novel selection criteria in liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Hepatobiliary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides additional information beyond the size and number of tumours, and may have prognostic implications. We examined whether pretransplant radiological features on MRI could be used to stratify the risk of tumour recurrence after liver transplantation (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

A total of 100 patients who had received a liver transplant and who had undergone preoperative gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI, including the hepatobiliary phase (HBP), were reviewed for tumour size, number, and morphological type (e.g. nodular, nodular with perinodular extension, or confluent multinodular), satellite nodules, non-smooth tumour margins, peritumoural enhancement in arterial phase, peritumoural hypointensity on HBP, and apparent diffusion coefficients. The primary endpoint was time to recurrence.

RESULTS

In a multivariable adjusted model, the presence of satellite nodules [hazard ratio (HR) 3.07; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.14-8.24] and peritumoural hypointensity on HBP (HR 4.53; 95% CI 1.52-13.4) were identified as independent factors associated with tumour recurrence. Having either of these radiological findings was associated with a higher tumour recurrence rate (72.5% vs. 15.4% at three years, p <0.001). When patients were stratified according to the Milan criteria, the presence of these two high-risk radiological findings was associated with a higher tumour recurrence rate in both patients transplanted within the Milan criteria (66.7% vs. 11.6% at three years, p <0.001, n = 68) and those who were transplanted outside the Milan criteria (75.5% vs. 28.6% at three years, p <0.001, n = 32).

CONCLUSIONS

Radiological features on preoperative hepatobiliary MRI can stratify the risk of tumour recurrence in patients who were transplanted either within or outside the Milan criteria. Therefore, hepatobiliary MRI can be a useful way to select potential candidates for LT.

LAY SUMMARY

High-risk radiological findings on preoperative hepatobiliary magnetic resonance imaging (either one of the following features: satellite nodule and peritumoural hypointensity on hepatobiliary phase) were associated with a higher tumour recurrence rate in patients transplanted either within or outside the Milan criteria.

The Clinicopathological and Prognostic Significance of the Gross Classification of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background

We aimed to determine the clinicopathological significance of the gross classification of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) according to the Korean Liver Cancer Association (KLCA) guidelines.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was performed on 242 cases of consecutively resected solitary primary HCC between 2003 and 2012 at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. The gross classification (vaguely nodular [VN], expanding nodular [EN], multinodular confluent [MC], nodular with perinodular extension [NP], and infiltrative [INF]) was reviewed for all cases, and were correlated with various clinicopathological features and the expression status of “stemness”-related (cytokeratin 19 [CK19], epithelial cell adhesion molecule [EpCAM]), and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)–related (urokinase plasminogen activator receptor [uPAR] and Ezrin) markers.

Results

Significant differences were seen in overall survival (p=.015) and disease-free survival (p = .034) according to the gross classification; INF type showed the worst prognosis while VN and EN types were more favorable. When the gross types were simplified into two groups, type 2 HCCs (MC/NP/INF) were more frequently larger and poorly differentiated, and showed more frequent microvascular and portal venous invasion, intratumoral fibrous stroma and higher pT stages compared to type 1 HCCs (EN/VN) (p<.05, all). CK19, EpCAM, uPAR, and ezrin expression was more frequently seen in type 2 HCCs (p<.05, all). Gross classification was an independent predictor of both overall and disease-free survival by multivariate analysis (overall survival: p=.030; hazard ratio, 4.118; 95% confidence interval, 1.142 to 14.844; disease-free survival: p=.016; hazard ratio, 1.617; 95% confidence interval, 1.092 to 2.394).

Conclusions

The gross classification of HCC had significant prognostic value and type 2 HCCs were associated with clinicopathological features of aggressive behavior, increased expression of “stemness”- and EMT-related markers, and decreased survival.