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Background: In patients with a large, unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the primary recommendation is for transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) but used alone TACE is not typically curative. Combinations of TACE followed in a delayed fashion by single-applicator thermal ablation have also been suboptimal. As an alternative, we investigated the combination of TACE followed within 1–3 days by multi-antenna microwave ablation (MWA) in patients with a large HCC, to determine the feasibility, safety, local control, and short-term survival rates of this approach. Methods: We retrospectively studied 43 patients with a large HCC (mean diameter, 8.8 cm; SD, 2.8 cm) treated between July 2015 and July 2018, who underwent TACE followed within 3 days by multi-antenna simultaneous MWA. We measured the liver and renal function before and after treatment, recorded complications, used three-dimensional software and imaging to calculate tumor necrosis rates at 1 month after therapy, and calculated overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) using the Kaplan–Meier method. Results: Mean follow up was 12.2 (range, 3.5–35.6) months. All patients completed the treatment protocol. At 1 month after combined therapy, tumor necrosis was complete in 16 (37.2%), nearly complete in 19 (44.2%), and partial in 8 (18.6%) patients. The 1- and 2-year OS rates were 64.0% and 46.8%, respectively, with a median OS of 23.0 months; and the 1- and 2-year PFS rates were 19.9% and 4.4%, respectively, with a median PFS of 4.2 months. A transient change in liver function occurred 3 days after MWA but resolved within 1 month. Only two patients had major complications, which were treatable and resolved. Conclusion: Multi-antenna MWA-oriented combined therapy is feasible and well tolerated, and it results in satisfactory initial local control and short-term survival in some but not all patients with a large HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the safety and efficacy of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with microwave ablation (MWA) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) within the Milan criteria in challenging locations. Methods: This study retrospectively investigated 201 consecutive patients with Milan criteria HCCs who underwent RFA (RFA group, n = 150) or MWA (MWA group, n = 51) between January 2012 and December 2016. Overall survival (OS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), local tumor control, and treatment-related complications were compared between the two groups. Prognostic factors were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazard regression model. Results: Median follow-up duration was 36.7 months (range: 6.2–64.0 months). Cumulative 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 97.9%, 92.3%, and 80.6% in the MWA group and 96.4%, 87.4%, and 78.2% in the RFA group, respectively, (P = 0.450). Cumulative RFS rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 93.2%, 74.4%, and 63.7% in the MWA group and 80.3%, 57.3%, and 49.6% in the RFA group, respectively, (P = 0.097). Multivariate analyses showed that variable categories "patient age above 65 years" (P = 0.004) and "more than one tumor" (P = 0.004) were associated with overall mortality, and "patient age above 65 years" (P = 0.048) and "tumor size greater than 3 cm" (P = 0.009) were associated with inferior RFS. The incidences of major complications were not significantly different between the two groups (3.3% vs 3.9%, P = 0.843). Conclusions: RFA and MWA were associated with comparable safety and efficacy for HCC within the Milan criteria in challenging locations. Further study in a large, multi-center patient cohort is necessary to validate the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bronchobiliary fistula is a rare, but life‐threatening complication after ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma. Few cases of bronchobiliary fistula have been reported and the treatment is controversial. Methods: From 2006 to 2019, a total of 11 patients were diagnosed with bronchobiliary fistula after ablation and received nonsurgical treatment. Results: All 11 patients presented with cough and bilioptysis. There were only two patients in which MRI revealed an obvious fistulous tract connecting the pleural effusion and biliary lesions. Pleural effusion, liver abscess and hepatic biloma were found in other patients. Three patients died of uncontrolled bronchobiliary fistula. Conclusions: Bronchobiliary fistula is a rare post‐ablation complication but should be taken into consideration in clinical decisions. Minimally invasive interventional treatment is a relatively effective means of dealing with bronchobiliary fistula, but as for the more severe cases, greater clinical experience is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the clinical efficacy and safety of computed tomography-guided radiofrequency ablation(CT-RFA) combined with transarterial embolization(TAE) assisted by a three-dimensional visualization ablation planning system(3DVAPS) for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) in challenging locations. Methods: Data from 62 treatment-naive patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC), with 83 lesions in challenging locations, and who met the Milan criteria and underwent CT-RFA between June 2013 and June 2016 were reviewed. Patients were divided into one of two groups according to different treatment modalities: study group (TAE combined with RFA assisted by 3DVAPS [n = 32]); and control (RFA only [n = 30]). Oncological outcomes included ablation-related complications, local tumor progression (LTP), and overall survival (OS). Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed to assess risk factors associated with LTP and OS. Results: HCC lesions (mean size, 1.9 ± 1.0 mm in diameter) abutting the gastrointestinal tract (n = 25), heart and diaphragm (n = 21), major vessels (n = 13), and gallbladder (n = 3) were treated. A significant difference was detected in LTP between the two groups (P = 0.034), with no significant difference in OS between the two groups (P = 0.193). There were no severe complications related to ablation. Univariate analysis revealed that sex (P = 0.046) and child-turcotte-pugh (CTP) grade (P<0.001) were risk factors for OS, whereas CTP grade and treatment method (P<0.001) were risk factors for LTP. Multivariate analysis revealed that CTP grade B (P = 0.005) was independently associated with poor OS, and RFA alone (P<0.001) was independently associated with poor LTP. Conclusion: CT-RFA combined with TAE assisted by a 3DVAPS provided ideal clinical efficiency for HCC in challenging locations and was a highly safe treatment modality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To develop a prognostic nomogram based on the albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade for prediction of the long-term survival of patients with intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after transarterial chemoembolization combined with microwave ablation (TACE-MWA).Methods: We retrospectively studied 546 consecutive patients with intermediate-stage HCC according to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer guidelines who underwent TACE-MWA between January 2000 and December 2016. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed. The predictive value of the ALBI grade was investigated. The prognostic nomogram was constructed using the independent predictors assessed by the multivariate Cox proportional hazards model.Results: After a median follow-up of 35.0 months (range, 4.0-221.0 months), 380 patients had died. The median OS was 35.0 months (95% confidence interval (CI), 30.84-39.16 months), and the median PFS was 6.5 months (95% CI, 6.13-6.87 months). The ALBI grade was validated as an independent predictor of OS (p < 0.001). Multivariate analyses showed that Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score more than 0, presence of liver cirrhosis, a-fetoprotein level above 400 ng/mL, tumor size greater than 5 cm, tumor number more than 3, advanced ALBI grade, and treatment sessions of TACE or MWA fewer than 3 were independently associated with overall mortality. The prognostic nomogram incorporating these eight predictors achieved good calibration and discriminatory abilities with a concordance index of 0.770 (95% CI, 0.746-0.795).Conclusions: The prognostic nomogram based on the ALBI grade resulted in reliable efficacy for prediction of individualized OS in patients with intermediate-stage HCC after TACE-MWA.Key Points: • TACE-MWA was associated with a median overall survival of 35.0 months for patients with intermediate-stage HCC. • A prognostic nomogram was built to predict individualized survival of patients with intermediate-stage HCC after TACE-MWA. • The prognostic nomogram incorporating eight predictors achieved good calibration and discriminatory abilities with a concordance index of 0.770. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims Whether perioperative blood transfusions (PBTs) negatively impact oncologic outcomes after curative resection for HCC remains controversial. We aimed to identify the independent predictive factors of PBT for curative resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to investigate the impact of PBT on long-term recurrence and survivals after resection. Methods Of 1103 patients who underwent curative liver resection for HCC between 1999 and 2010, 285 (25.8%) patients received PBT. Univariable and multivariable regression analyses were used to identify independent predictive factors of PBT. Propensity scores and Cox regression analyses were used to compare the overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) between patients who did and did not receive PBT. Results Multivariable regression analysis revealed that performance status, preoperative hemoglobin, cirrhosis, portal hypertension, tumor rupture, tumor size, macroscopic vascular invasion, and intraoperative blood loss were independent predictive factors of PBT for HCC resection. Propensity score matching analysis created 234 pairs of patients. Before propensity matching, PBT was significantly associated with increased risks of OS (HR: 2.455, 95% CI: 2.077–2.901, p <0.001) and RFS (HR: 2.018, 95% CI: 1.718–2.370, p <0.001) in the entire cohort. After propensity matching, PBT was not significantly associated with increased risks of OS (HR: 1.229, 95% CI: 0.988–1.527, p = 0.063) and RFS (HR: 1.188, 95% CI: 0.960–1.469, p = 0.113). After adjustment for other prognostic variables in the propensity matched cohort, PBT was still found not to be associated with OS and RFS after HCC resection. Conclusions The present study identified that PBT did not influence RFS and OS after curative resection of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of multiple cellular processes, and the deregulation of miRNA is a common event in diverse human diseases, particularly cancer. However, the mechanisms underlying the relationship between disordered miRNA expression and tumorigenesis have remained largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrated the down-regulation of miR-125b in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues and HCC cell lines by Northern blot and quantitative RT-PCR analyses. The ectopic expression of miR-125b reduced the cellular proliferation and cell cycle progression of HCC cells by targeting Mcl-1 and IL6R. Furthermore, the miR-125b-induced inhibition of cell proliferation was rescued by the expression of Mcl-1 or IL6R variants that lacked 3' UTRs. Thus, this study revealed the differential expression of miR-125b in HCC cells and elucidated its potential as a tumor suppressor in HCC development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]