Hepatocellular Carcinoma in HBsAg Seroclearance: Clinical Features, Recurrence, and Prognosis Following Curative Hepatectomy

Overview

Journal Ther Adv Med Oncol

Specialty Oncology

Date 2024 Nov 1

PMID 39483138

Authors

Wei Xu

Huai Gong

Bolun Li

Xinmin Yin

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Aim: To explore clinical features and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg)-serocleared patients and identify risk factors associated with postoperative recurrence after curative hepatectomy.

Methods: Patients who had undergone initial hepatectomy for HCC from January 2010 through December 2022. Clinicopathological data were compared between HBsAg-seropositive and HBsAg-serocleared patients. Furthermore, risk factors associated with early and late postoperative HCC recurrence (early and late recurrences (ER and LR), respectively) were analyzed for HBsAg-serocleared HCC patients treated by curative hepatectomy.

Results: A total of 2184 consecutive patients undergoing initial hepatectomy for HCC were enrolled, including 339 (15.5%) HBsAg-serocleared and 1845 (84.5%) HBsAg-seropositive cases. Tumor characteristics were comparable between the two groups. After curative hepatectomy, the ER rate was lower in the HBsAg-serocleared group than in the HBsAg-seropositive group (16.2% vs 26.3%; = 0.000). LR rates in the HBsAg-seropositive and HBsAg-serocleared groups were similar (8.3% vs 6.9%, respectively, = 0.418). Multivariate analysis showed that among HBsAg-serocleared patients, Hong Kong Liver Cancer stage and microvascular invasion were risk factors associated with postoperative ER, while γ-glutamyl transferase level and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were associated with LR.

Conclusion: HBsAg-serocleared and HBsAg-seropositive HCC patients exhibited similar tumor characteristics. Curative hepatectomy-treated HBsAg-serocleared HCC patients experienced a lower ER rate and better short-term (⩽3 years) overall survival (OS) rates than their HBsAg-seropositive counterparts. LR, very late recurrence, and long-term (4-, and 5-year) OS rates were similar between the two groups.

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