AIM: We recently reported that the iron chelator deferoxamine (DFO) is efficacious in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Iron regulation may thus have an important impact in HCC therapy. Because transferrin is a native chelator that regulates iron homeostasis, it may act as an anticancer agent in a similar manner as DFO. The objective of this study was to evaluate serum transferrin as a prognostic predictor in advanced HCC patients undergoing hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC). METHODS: We retrospectively studied 44 patients receiving HAIC and analyzed various parameters for their possible use as prognostic predictors. RESULTS: The 1-, 2- and 3-year cumulative survival rates were 36.4%, 18.2% and 8.5%, respectively, and the median survival time (MST) was 7.0 months. The survival rates of patients who had serum transferrin of 190 mg/dL or more (MST, 12.0 months) were significantly better than those of patients who had serum transferrin of less than 190 mg/dL (MST, 4.9 months). Multivariate analysis identified serum transferrin of 190 mg/dL or more (hazard ratio [HR], 0.282; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.132-0.603; P = 0.001) and Child-Pugh score B (HR, 1.956; 95% CI, 1.034-3.700; P = 0.039) as independent prognostic predictors. There was a significant correlation between serum transferrin level and therapeutic effect (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Serum transferrin could be useful as a prognostic predictor in advanced HCC patients before HAIC treatment.
AIM: We recently reported that the iron chelator deferoxamine (DFO) is efficacious in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Iron regulation may thus have an important impact in HCC therapy. Because transferrin is a native chelator that regulates iron homeostasis, it may act as an anticancer agent in a similar manner as DFO. The objective of this study was to evaluate serum transferrin as a prognostic predictor in advanced HCCpatients undergoing hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC). METHODS: We retrospectively studied 44 patients receiving HAIC and analyzed various parameters for their possible use as prognostic predictors. RESULTS: The 1-, 2- and 3-year cumulative survival rates were 36.4%, 18.2% and 8.5%, respectively, and the median survival time (MST) was 7.0 months. The survival rates of patients who had serum transferrin of 190 mg/dL or more (MST, 12.0 months) were significantly better than those of patients who had serum transferrin of less than 190 mg/dL (MST, 4.9 months). Multivariate analysis identified serum transferrin of 190 mg/dL or more (hazard ratio [HR], 0.282; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.132-0.603; P = 0.001) and Child-Pugh score B (HR, 1.956; 95% CI, 1.034-3.700; P = 0.039) as independent prognostic predictors. There was a significant correlation between serum transferrin level and therapeutic effect (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Serum transferrin could be useful as a prognostic predictor in advanced HCCpatients before HAIC treatment.