BACKGROUND/AIMS: We evaluated the prognostic value of the pretreatment elevation of tumor markers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients who underwent curative treatment. METHODS: We studied 801 patients who had been diagnosed as initial HCC and fulfilled the following criteria: maximum tumor size, < or = 3 cm; number of tumors, < or = 3; remnant liver function, Child-Pugh class A or B; treated by hepatectomy or locoregional thermal ablation (LTA); and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), Lens culinaris agglutinin A-reactive fraction of AFP (AFP-L3), and des-gamma carboxy prothrombin (DCP) were measured at diagnosis. We analyzed the effects of elevated tumor markers on patient survival in these 2 distinct groups with different types of treatment, i.e. hepatectomy and LTA. RESULTS: By multivariate analysis in 345 patients who underwent hepatectomy, no tumor marker significantly affected decreased survival rate. In the 456 patients who underwent LTA, the elevation of AFP-L3 (p=0.0171) and DCP (p=0.0004) significantly affected decreased survival rate; DCP elevation had the strongest effect on patient survival. CONCLUSIONS: The prognostic value of pretreatment tumor marker elevation was different in patients who underwent the curative treatment according to the type of treatment. Pretreatment elevation of AFP-L3 and DCP had prognostic values only in patients treated with LTA.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: We evaluated the prognostic value of the pretreatment elevation of tumor markers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients who underwent curative treatment. METHODS: We studied 801 patients who had been diagnosed as initial HCC and fulfilled the following criteria: maximum tumor size, < or = 3 cm; number of tumors, < or = 3; remnant liver function, Child-Pugh class A or B; treated by hepatectomy or locoregional thermal ablation (LTA); and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), Lens culinaris agglutinin A-reactive fraction of AFP (AFP-L3), and des-gamma carboxy prothrombin (DCP) were measured at diagnosis. We analyzed the effects of elevated tumor markers on patient survival in these 2 distinct groups with different types of treatment, i.e. hepatectomy and LTA. RESULTS: By multivariate analysis in 345 patients who underwent hepatectomy, no tumor marker significantly affected decreased survival rate. In the 456 patients who underwent LTA, the elevation of AFP-L3 (p=0.0171) and DCP (p=0.0004) significantly affected decreased survival rate; DCP elevation had the strongest effect on patient survival. CONCLUSIONS: The prognostic value of pretreatment tumor marker elevation was different in patients who underwent the curative treatment according to the type of treatment. Pretreatment elevation of AFP-L3 and DCP had prognostic values only in patients treated with LTA.
Authors: Marc-Antoine Allard; Antonio Sa Cunha; Aldrick Ruiz; Eric Vibert; Mylène Sebagh; Denis Castaing; René Adam Journal: J Gastrointest Surg Date: 2014-01-09 Impact factor: 3.452
Authors: N Imai; A Kinoshita; H Onoda; A Iwaku; M Oishi; K Tanaka; N Fushiya; K Koike; H Nishino; H Tajiri Journal: Clin Transl Oncol Date: 2012-12-21 Impact factor: 3.405
Authors: Quirino Lai; Fabio Melandro; Rafael S Pinheiro; Andrea Donfrancesco; Bashir A Fadel; Giovanni B Levi Sandri; Massimo Rossi; Pasquale B Berloco; Fabrizio M Frattaroli Journal: Int J Hepatol Date: 2012-06-27