Prognostic factors and outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in non-cirrhotic liver

Abstract

Objectives. To report the outcome of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in non-cirrhotic liver depending on the mode of primary treatment and to define clinicopathological factors influencing patients' prognosis. Methods. A retrospective analysis of an unselected cohort of 105 patients was performed. Overall survival (OS) was estimated by the Kaplan–Meier method and potentially prognostic factors were analyzed in Cox regression models. Results. OS of the whole cohort at 1, 3, and 5 years was 66%, 47%, and 29%, respectively. Tobacco consumption, ECOG >0, macroscopic vascular invasion, continuous tumor diameter, and treatment other than resection were predictors of decreased OS in the whole cohort. Resection was performed in 64% of patients with 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates of 84%, 69%, and 42%, respectively. Siderosis and BCLC stage were associated with decreased OS after resection. Recurrence occurred in 57% of patients with 1-, 3-, and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates of 63%, 39%, and 31%, respectively. Viral hepatitis and macroscopic vascular invasion were associated with decreased DFS. One-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates in patients with non-surgical approaches (transarterial chemoembolization, systemic therapy, best supportive care) were 38%, 11%, and 7%, respectively. Tobacco consumption and Okuda stage were associated with decreased OS in these patients. Conclusions. OS and DFS of patients with HCC in non-cirrhotic liver depend most notably on tumor-related, demographic, and etiological factors. Features of the non-neoplastic liver tissue play only a minor role. Liver resection leads to a significantly better prognosis than non-surgical treatment approaches.

Key Words::

• hepatocellular carcinoma
• non-cirrhotic liver
• non-surgical treatment approaches
• overall survival
• prognostic factors
• resection

Acknowledgement

The manuscript contains parts of the medical thesis of Timon Bosslet. This work was not supported by any grant or funding source. The authors disclose no potential conflict of interest.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.