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Background/Aim: Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) had been used as a prognostic factor in hepatocellular carcinoma but it was unknown what level of AFP could predict the survival of patients with ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (rHCC) after resection. This retrospective study was to identify the best cutoff value of AFP for this prediction. Methods: Data of patients having hepatectomy for rHCC from 1989 to 2015 were reviewed. The receiver operating characteristic curve and Youden’s index were used to identify the cutoff value of AFP affecting survival. The patients were then divided into two groups by the cutoff for comparison. Results: Totally 114 patients were included. An AFP level of 256 ng/ml was found to affect survival (area under curve 63.1%, 95% confidence interval 0.514–0.748, p = 0.027; sensitivity 0.6, specificity 0.706). The 114 patients were divided into Group A (AFP < 256 ng/ml, n = 56) and Group B (AFP ≥ 256 ng/ml, n = 58). The median AFP level was 13.0 ng/ml (range, 2–253 ng/ml) in Group A and 11206.5 ng/ml (range, 259–481,000 ng/ml) in Group B (p

Abstract Background In the management of operable hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HC) patients with hyperbilirubinemia, preoperative biliary drainage is a measure to bring down the bilirubin to a certain level so as to avoid adverse postoperative outcomes that would otherwise result from hyperbilirubinemia. A cutoff value of bilirubin level in this context is needed but has not been agreed upon without controversy. This retrospective study aimed to identify a cutoff of preoperative bilirubin level that would minimize postoperative morbidity and mortality. Methods Data of patients having hepatectomy with curative intent for HC were analyzed. Discriminative analysis was performed to identify the preoperative bilirubin level that would make a survival difference. The identified level was used as the cutoff to divide patients into two groups. The groups were compared. Results Ninety patients received hepatectomy with curative intent for HC. Their median preoperative bilirubin level was 23 μmol/L. A cutoff preoperative bilirubin level of 75 μmol/L was derived from Youden’s index (sensitivity 0.333; specificity 0.949) and confirmed to be optimal by logistic regression (relative risk 9.250; 95% confidence interval 1.932–44.291; p = 0.005), with mortality shown to be statistically different at 90 days (p = 0.008). Patients were divided into Group A (≤75 μmol/L; n = 82) and Group B (> 75 μmol/L; n = 8). Group B had a higher preoperative bilirubin level (p

BackgroundHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a rare hepatic malignancy in children. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a key predisposing factor in endemic regions but its impact on outcome has not been studied. We aim to evaluate the prognostic implication of HBV seropositivity and role of cancer surveillance in children with HCC from East Asian populations with national HBV vaccination.MethodsReview of population-based databases for patients (< 18 years old) diagnosed with HCC from 1993 to 2017 in two Southeast Asian regions with universal HBV vaccination (instituted since 1988 and 1987 in Hong Kong and Singapore, respectively).ResultsThirty-nine patients were identified (Hong Kong, 28; Singapore, 11). Thirty were male; median age at diagnosis was 10.8 years (range, 0.98–16.6). Abdominal pain was the commonest presentation while five patients were diagnosed through surveillance for underlying condition. Alpha-fetoprotein was raised in 36 patients (mean, 500,598 ng/ml). Nineteen had bilobar involvement, among the patients in whom pretreatment extent of disease (PRETEXT) staging could retrospectively be assigned, 3 had stage I, 13 had stage II, 4 had stage III, and 11 had stage IV disease. Seventeen had distant metastasis. HBsAg was positive in 19 of 38 patients. Two patients had fibrolamellar HCC. Upfront management involved tumor resection in 16 (liver transplantation, 2), systemic chemotherapy in 21, interventional procedures in 6 [transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), 5, radiofrequency ablation (RFA), 1], and radiotherapy in 4 (selective internal radiation, 3, external beam radiation, 1). Five-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were 15.4 ± 6.0 and 26.1 ± 7.2%, respectively. Patient’s HBsAg positivity, metastatic disease and inability to undergo definitive resection represent poor prognostic factors in univariate and multivariable analyses. Patients diagnosed by surveillance had significantly better outcome.ConclusionPediatric HCC has poor outcome. HBV status remains relevant in the era of universal HBV vaccination. HBV carrier has inferior outcome and use of surveillance may mitigate disease course.

Background: Current treatments of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are trans-arterial chemo-embolization (TACE), stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), and targeted therapy. However, these treatments are limited in efficacy and safety for patients with large tumor sizes. Here, we report a case series of combined SBRT and anti-PD-1 therapy in patients with unresectable HCC of large tumors.Methods: This is a retrospective case series of five patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma who were treated with SBRT followed by anti-PD1 antibodies. Four patients (80%) received a single dose of TACE prior to SBRT. All patients had advanced HCC ineligible of curative intervention. In this study, we report their treatment responses according to modified RECIST (response evaluation criteria in solid tumor) criteria, 1-year local control (LC), progression-free survival (PFS), 1-year overall survival (OS) rate, and toxicities.Results: Among the five evaluated patients, three patients had underlying diseases of hepatitis B and four patients had Barcelona clinic liver cancer stage C. The median size of their tumors was 9.8 cm (range: 9–16.1 cm). In addition, two patients had tumor vascular thrombosis and one had extra-hepatic disease. Five out of five patients (100%) responded to treatment, with two complete responses (CR) and three partial responses (PR). Among the partial responders, one had a down-staged tumor that became amenable for radiofrequency ablation for tumor clearance. No patient developed tumor progression at the time of analysis during the median follow-up of 14.9 months (range 8.6–19 months). The median PFS was 14.9 months (range: 8.6–19 months); 1-year LC and OS rate were both 100%. One patient had grade ≥ 3 toxicities (pneumonitis and skin reaction). There was no classical radiation-induced liver disease.Conclusions: The results obtained from these 5 cases demonstrate impressive tumor control from the combination of SBRT and checkpoint inhibitors in patients with large tumors of advanced HCC. Further prospective trials are warranted.

Background and aimSpontaneous rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) carries a high mortality. The use of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in recent years has enriched the armamentarium for hemostasis of spontaneously ruptured HCCs but its results have not been documented. This study investigated the prognosis and outcome of spontaneous rupture of HCC as well as the results of using RFA for hemostasis.Patients and methodFrom January 1991 to December 2010, 5283 patients were diagnosed with HCC at our hospital, and 189 of them had spontaneous rupture of HCCs. They were grouped under two periods: period 1, 1991-2000, n = 70; period 2, 2001-2010, n = 119. RFA was available in period 2 only.ResultsHepatitis B virus infection was predominant in both periods. Surgical hemostasis was mainly achieved by hepatic artery ligation in period 1 and by RFA in period 2. The 30-day hospital mortality after surgical treatment was 55.6% (n = 18) in period 1 and 19.2% (n = 26) in period 2 (p = 0.012). Multivariate analysis identified 4 independent factors for better overall survival, namely, hemostasis by transarterial embolization [corrected] (hazard ratio 0.516, 95% confidence interval 0.354-0.751), hemostasis by RFA (hazard ratio 0.431, 95% confidence interval 0.236-0.790), having surgery as a subsequent treatment (hazard ratio 0.305, 95% confidence interval 0.186-0.498), and a serum total bilirubin level ConclusionThe use of RFA for hemostasis during laparotomy greatly reduced the hospital mortality rate when compared with conventional hepatic artery ligation.

BackgroundLiver stiffness measurement (LSM) using transient elastography has recently become available for the assessment of liver fibrosis. Whether LSM can predict the functional liver reserve in patients undergoing liver resection is not certain.AimTo correlate liver stiffness measurement (LSM) with indocyanine green (ICG) clearance test and liver biochemistry, and to determine its usefulness in predicting postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing liver resection.Patients and methodsTransient elastography and ICG clearance test were performed pre-operatively in 44 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. The LSM and ICG retention rate at 15 minutes (R15) were correlated with pre-operative factors and post-operative outcomes.ResultsThere was significant correlation between ICG R15 and LSM. In patients with LSM ≥11 kPa vs ConclusionLSM correlated well with ICG R15 in patients undergoing liver resection, and predicted early post-operative complications. Addition of LSM to ICG R15 testing may provide better prognostic information for patients undergoing resection.