Imaging features of histological subtypes of hepatocellular carcinoma: Implication for LI-RADS

Background & Aims

The histopathological subtypes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are associated with distinct clinical features and prognoses. This study aims to report Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS)-defined imaging features of different HCC subtypes in a cohort of resected tumours and to assess the influence of HCC subtypes on computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) LI-RADS categorisation in the subgroup of high-risk patients.

Methods

This retrospective institutional review board-approved study included patients with resected HCCs and available histopathological classification. Three radiologists independently reviewed preoperative CT and MRI exams. The readers evaluated the presence of imaging features according to LI-RADS v2018 definitions and provided a LI-RADS category in patients at high risk of HCC. Differences in LI-RADS features and categorisations were assessed for not otherwise specified (NOS-HCC), steatohepatitic (SH-HCC), and macrotrabecular-massive (MTM-HCC) types of HCCs.

Results

Two hundred and seventy-seven patients (median age 64.0 years, 215 [77.6%] men) were analysed, which involved 295 HCCs. There were 197 (66.7%) NOS-HCCs, 62 (21.0%) SH-HCCs, 23 (7.8%) MTM-HCCs, and 13 (4.5%) other rare subtypes. The following features were more frequent in MTM-HCC: elevated α-foetoprotein serum levels (p <0.001), tumour-in-vein (p <0.001 on CT, p ≤0.052 on MRI), presence of at least 1 LR-M feature (p ≤0.010 on CT), infiltrative appearance (p ≤0.032 on CT), necrosis or severe ischaemia (p ≤0.038 on CT), and larger size (p ≤0.006 on CT, p ≤0.011 on MRI). SH-HCC was associated with fat in mass (p <0.001 on CT, p ≤0.002 on MRI). The distribution of the LI-RADS major features and categories in high-risk patients did not significantly differ among the 3 main HCC subtypes.

Conclusions

The distribution of LI-RADS major features and categories is not different among the HCC subtypes. Nevertheless, careful analysis of tumour-in-vein, LR-M, and ancillary features as well as clinico-biological data can provide information for the non-invasive diagnosis of HCC subtypes.

Lay summary

In high-risk patients, the overall distribution of LI-RADS major features and categories is not different among the histological subtypes of hepatocellular carcinoma, but tumour-in-vein, presence of LR-M features, and ancillary features can provide information for the non-invasive diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma subtypes.

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The distribution of the major features and categories of LI-RADS is not different among the HCC histological subtypes.

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MTM-HCC was associated with TIV, ≥1 LR-M feature, infiltrative appearance, necrosis or severe ischaemia, and larger size.

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Steatohepatitis-related HCC was associated with fat in mass on CT and on MRI.

ALBI grade: Evidence for an improved model for liver functional estimation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) usually arises in the context of a chronically damaged liver. Liver functional estimation is of paramount importance in clinical decision making. The Child-Pugh score (CPS) can be used to categorise patients into 3 classes (A to C) based on the severity of liver functional impairment according to 5 parameters (albumin, bilirubin, prothrombin time, presence of ascites and hepatic encephalopathy). The albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade has emerged as an alternative, reproducible and objective measure of liver functional reserve in patients with HCC, defining worsening liver impairment across 3 grades (I to III). The ALBI score can identify different subgroups of patients with different prognoses across the diverse Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stages and CP classes, making it an appealing clinical predictor. In patients treated with potentially curative approaches (resection, transplantation, radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation), ALBI grade has been shown to correlate with survival, tumour relapse, and post-hepatectomy liver failure. ALBI grade also predicts survival, toxicity and post-procedural liver failure in patients treated with transarterial chemoembolisation, radioembolisation, external beam radiotherapy as well as multi-kinase inhibitors (sorafenib, lenvatinib, cabozantinib, regorafenib) and immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. In this review, we summarise the body of evidence surrounding the role of ALBI grade as a biomarker capable of optimising patient selection and therapeutic sequencing in HCC.

Long-term outcomes following resection of hepatocellular adenomas with small foci of malignant transformation or malignant adenomas

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Malignant transformation of hepatocellular adenoma (MT-HCA) may occur in up to 5% of tumours. However, the prognostic value of this event remains poorly described. In this study, we aimed to analyse the long-term outcomes of patients undergoing liver resection (LR) for MT-HCA compared to those of patients resected for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurring on normal liver parenchyma (NP-HCC).

METHODS

This single-centre retrospective study included all patients who underwent LR for MT-HCA at Beaujon Hospital between 2001 and 2019. MT-HCAs were classified as small foci of malignant transformation HCA (SF-HCA) and as malignant HCA (M-HCA) in cases of predominant HCC foci. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) of MT-HCA was compared with that of NP-HCC after propensity score matching.

RESULTS

Forty patients (24 men, 16 women) underwent LR for MT-HCA, including 23 with SF-HCA and 17 with M-HCA. Of these cases, 16/40 (40%) had β-catenin mutations, 19/40 (47.5%) were inflammatory, 1 was HNF1α-mutated HCA and 4 (10%) were unclassified HCA. Microvascular invasion (12% vs. 0%, p = 0.091) and satellite nodules (25% vs. 4%, p = 0.028) were more frequently observed in M-HCA than in SF-HCA. After a median follow-up of 67 months, 10 (25%) patients with MT-HCA had tumour recurrence, including 9 with M-HCA and 1 with SF-HCA (p = 0.007). M-HCA was linked to significantly poorer 1-, 3-, 5- and 10-year RFS rates than SF-HCA (76%, 63%, 39%, 37% vs. 100%, 100%, 100%, 91%, p = 0.003). Multivariate analysis showed that SF-HCA was independently associated with improved RFS (hazard ratio 0.064; 95% CI 0.008-0.519; p = 0.01). After propensity score matching, NP-HCC was associated with significantly poorer 1-, 3-, 5- and 10-year RFS rates than MT-HCA (p = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

HCA with malignant transformation yields a better long-term prognosis than NP-HCC. Among MT-HCA, SF-HCA is associated with a better prognosis than M-HCA.

LAY SUMMARY

The prognostic relevance of malignant transformation of hepatocellular adenoma (HCA) remains unknown. Thus, the aim of our study was to compare the outcomes of patients undergoing liver resection for malignant transformation to those of patients undergoing liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The main long-term risk after resection for carcinoma is recurrence. In this study, 10/40 patients with malignant transformation of HCA relapsed after resection and we identified age >55 years, presence of satellite nodes, and microvascular invasion as risk factors for long-term recurrence. Compared to patients with HCC, patients who underwent liver resection for HCA with malignant transformation had better long-term survival.

Impact of alcohol abstinence on survival after hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with alcohol-related liver disease

Background

This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic impact of alcohol abstinence on survival after hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with alcohol-related liver disease (ALD).

Patients and methods

In total, 92 patients with ALD-HCC who underwent initial and curative hepatic resection were identified, including 56 and 36 patients with and without alcohol abstinence, respectively.

Results

The 3-, 5-, and 7-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) were 46%, 43%, and 37% in the abstinence group, and 61%, 36%, and 36% in the non-abstinence group, respectively (p = 0.71). The 3-, 5-, and 7-year overall survival (OS) were 91%, 76%, and 66% in the abstinence group, and 87%, 57%, and 44% in the non-abstinence group, respectively (p = 0.023). Multivariate analysis revealed that non-abstinence was an independent prognostic factor for OS (P = 0.026). The incidence rate of liver-related death including HCC-specific death, liver failure, and renal failure in cirrhosis (hepatorenal syndrome) between the non-abstinence and abstinence groups were 41.7% vs. 19.6% (p = 0.032). Worsening of the Child–Pugh grade at intrahepatic recurrence was more frequently observed in the non-abstinence (33.3%) than that in the abstinence group (6.5%) (p = 0.039).

Conclusions

Alcohol abstinence might improve the long-term survival of patients with ALD-HCC undergoing hepatic resection.

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Non-abstinence after surgery was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival with a 2.2-fold increased risk.

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Worsening of Child–Pugh grade at intrahepatic recurrence was less frequently observed in the abstinent patients.

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Hepatic resection tended to be more frequently performed for the treatment of HCC recurrence in the abstinent patients.

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The incidence rate of liver-related death was significantly lower in the abstinent patients.

Adjuvant therapies after curative treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma: Current status and prospects

Tumor recurrence rate after surgery or ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is as high as 70%. However, there are no widely accepted adjuvant therapies; therefore, no treatment has been recommended by guidelines from the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease or the European Association for the Study of the Liver. All the registered trials failed to find any treatment to prolong recurrence-free survival, which is the primary outcome in most studies, including sorafenib. Some investigator-initiated studies revealed that anti-hepatitis B virus agents, interferon-α, transcatheter chemoembolization, chemokine-induced killer cells, and other treatments prolonged patient recurrence-free survival or overall survival after curative therapies. In this review, we summarize the current status of adjuvant treatments for HCC and explain the challenges associated with designing a clinical trial for adjuvant therapy. Promising new treatments being used as adjuvant therapy, especially anti-PD-1 antibodies, are also discussed.

Ablative Therapy for Unresectable Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is usually a fatal malignancy with rising incidence globally. Surgical resection currently remains the only curative treatment. However, as only a minority of iCCA is amenable to resection, new therapeutic modalities are needed. Our aims were to systematically review and perform a meta-analysis on the existing literature regarding the use of ablative therapies for iCCA and to assess their efficacy as a treatment modality by calculating pooled survival results and investigate associations between prognostic factors and survival.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of the PubMed database for relevant articles was performed. Studies assessing survival in patients with iCCA undergoing ablation were included. Data were extracted on patient, tumour and treatment characteristics and survival. Random effects meta-analysis was used to pool the data. Galbraith plots were used to investigate heterogeneity; bubble plots were formulated using regression-based meta-analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 10 studies were included in the final analysis, yielding an aggregate of 206 patients (69.5% males, median age: 51.2-72.5) and 320 tumours. Of all patients, 70.4% were recurrent cases of iCCA, and 29.6% were cases of primary iCCA. The median overall survival ranged from 8.7 to 52.4 months. Pooled 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 76% (95% confidence interval: 68-83%), 33% (21-44%) and 16% (7-26%), respectively. No significant association was found between the median age, number of tumours or median tumour size and 1-year survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Ablative therapies display promising potential as treatment modalities for iCCA. However, further research is necessary to validate these findings.

Fertility-Sparing surgery for young women with ovarian endometrioid carcinoma: a multicenteric comparative study using inverse probability of treatment weighting

Introduction

The aim of this study was to evaluate the oncologic outcome of women with stage I ovarian endometrioid carcinoma (EC) who underwent fertility-sparing surgery (FSS).

Materials and nethods

Between 1986 and 2017, a total of 3227 patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma were retrospectively evaluated based on a central pathological review and search of the medical records from multiple institutions. We identified 24 and 54 patients with stage I EC who underwent FSS and conventional radical surgery (CRS), respectively. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW)–adjusted Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were employed to compare OS between the two groups.

Results

With follow-up of a total of 78 patients, 9 patients (11.5%) developed recurrence. In addition, 5 patients (6.4%) died of the disease. Recurrence was noted in 3 (10.7%) patients in the FSS group and 6 (11.1%) patients in the CRS group. Death was noted in 2 (8.3%) patients in the FSS group and 3 (5.6%) patients in the CRS group. In the original cohort, there was no significant difference in overall survival (OS) or recurrence-free survival (RFS) between the FSS and RS groups {Log-rank: OS (P = 0.630), RFS (P = 0.757)}. In the IPTW-adjusted cohort, the 5-year OS rates were 96.6 and 92.4% in patients with FSS and CRS, respectively (P = 0.319). Furthermore, the 5-year RFS rate was 88.6% for the FSS group and 88.1% for the CRS group (Log-rank: P = 0.556).

Conclusions

Young women with stage I EC undergoing FSS showed a relatively satisfactory prognosis, equal to those receiving CRC.

Management of penile cancer in a Singapore tertiary hospital

Objectives

To present our experience of managing penile squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in a tertiary hospital in Singapore and to evaluate the prognostic value of the inflammatory markers neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and lymphocyte–monocyte ratio (LMR).

Patients and methods

We reviewed our prospectively maintained Institutional Review Board-approved urological cancer database to identify men treated for penile SCC at our centre between January 2007 and December 2015. For all the patients identified, we collected epidemiological and clinical data.

Results

In all, 39 patients were identified who were treated for penile SCC in our centre. The median [interquartile range (IQR)] follow-up was 34 (16.5–66) months. Although very few (23%) of our patients with high-risk clinical node-negative underwent prophylactic inguinal lymph node dissection (ILND), they still had excellent 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS; 90%) and cancer-specific survival (CSS; 90%). At multivariate analysis, higher N stage was significantly associated with worse RFS and CSS. Patients with a high NLR (≥2.8) had significantly higher T-stage (P = 0.006) and worse CSS (P < 0.001) than those with a low NLR. Patients with a low LMR (<3.3) had significantly higher T-stage (P = 0.013) and worse RFS (P = 0.009) and CSS (P < 0.022) than those with a high LMR.

Conclusions

Although very few of our patients with intermediate- and high-risk clinical node-negative SCC underwent prophylactic ILND, they still had excellent 5-year RFS and CSS. However, survival was poor in patients with node-positive disease. The pre-treatment NLR and LMR could serve as biomarkers to predict the prognosis of patients with penile cancer.

Prognostic value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in breast cancer

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A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science and CNKI.

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Increased NLR was a strong predictor for overall survival and disease-free survival.

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Subgroup analyses stratified by ethnicity, analysis method and metastasis were conducted.

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NLR could be considered as a predictive factor for patients with breast cancer.

Inflammation is an essential component of pathogenesis and progression of cancer. A high neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is considered as a prognostic indicator for breast cancer. This meta-analysis was conducted to establish the overall accuracy of the NLR test in the diagnosis of breast cancer. A comprehensive search of the literature was conducted by using PubMed, Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). Published studies dating up to July 2014 and 4,293 patients were enrolled in the present study. In order to evaluate the association between NLR and overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), recurrence-free survival (RFS) or cancer specific survival (CSS), the hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted. OS was the primary outcome. The results suggested that increased NLR was a strong predictor for OS with HR of 2.28 (95% CI = 1.08–4.80, P_{heterogeneity} < 0.001). Stratified analyses indicated that a high NLR appeared to be a negative prognostic marker in Caucasian populations (HR = 4.53, 95% CI = 3.11–6.60, P_{heterogeneity} = 0.096), multivariate analysis method (HR = 2.10, 95% CI = 1.52–2.89, P_{heterogeneity} = 0.591), and mixed metastasis (HR = 4.53, 95% CI = 3.11–6.60, P_{heterogeneity} = 0.096). Elevated NLR was associated with a high risk for DFS (HR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.09–1.74, P_{heterogeneity} = 0.050) and in subgroups of multivariate analysis (HR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.25–2.14, P_{heterogeneity} = 0.545) and mixed metastasis (HR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.28–3.09, P_{heterogeneity} = 0.992). In summary, NLR could be considered as a predictive factor for patients with breast cancer.

Recurrence pattern in patients with locally advanced renal cell carcinoma: The implications of clinicopathological variables

Objectives

Recurrence rates for patients with locally advanced renal cell carcinoma (LARCC) remain high. To date the predictors of recurrence in those patients remain controversial. The aim of the present study was to assess the relapse pattern in those patients and identify predictors for recurrence.

Patients and methods

We evaluated retrospectively 112 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for LARCC (T3–T4N0M0) between January 2000 and December 2010. Clinical and pathological data were collected from hospital medical records and compiled into a computerized database. Studied variables were age, mode of presentation, Tumour-Node-Metastasis (TNM) stage, Fuhrman nuclear grade, histological subtype, tumour size, venous thrombus level, collecting-system invasion and sarcomatoid differentiation. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted.

Results

Patients were followed for a mean and median follow-up of 33 and 24 months, respectively, after surgery. During the follow-up, recurrences (distant and/or local) were recorded in 58 patients, representing 52% of the cohort. The mean and median times to recurrence were 25 and 13 months, respectively. Sites of recurrence were multiple in 36 patients (62%), lung only in 14 (24%), and local in eight (14%). RFS rates at 1, 2, and 5 years were 50%, 43% and 34%, respectively, while the median RFS was 23.7 months. Using univariate analysis, RFS after nephrectomy was significantly shorter in patients aged <70 years, symptomatic at presentation, with larger tumours, higher nuclear grade, collecting-system invasion, and/or sarcomatoid differentiation. After multivariate analysis, T-stage, nuclear grade and sarcomatoid differentiation retained their power as independent predictors of RFS (P = 0.032, <0.001 and 0.003, respectively).

Conclusions

For patients with LARCC, T-stage, grade and sarcomatoid differentiation independently dictate the risk of tumour recurrence. Considering these variables in the postoperative surveillance protocols and in the need for a multimodal therapeutic approach is highly recommended.