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Prognostic factors in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma receiving systemic chemotherapy
Author(s) -
Okada Shuichi,
Okazaki Nobuo,
Nose Haruhiko,
Yoshimori Masayoshi,
Aoki Kazunori
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.1840160119
Subject(s) - medicine , hepatocellular carcinoma , performance status , gastroenterology , proportional hazards model , univariate analysis , multivariate analysis , chemotherapy , carcinoma , oncology , surgery
Abstract A total of 71 consecutive patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma were analyzed retrospectively to determine the significant prognostic factors. All the patients received systemic chemotherapy in a phase 2 study from 1980 to 1990, with no other anticancer treatment. Median survival time and 1‐yr and 2‐yr survival rates were 5.6 mo, 23% and 5%, respectively. By the univariate analysis, a performance status of 0–1 and tumor size less than 50% of the liver cross‐sectional area were shown to be the factors most significantly favoring a better prognosis. By the multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazards model, a performance status of 0–1 (p < 0.001), absence of tumor thrombus in the main portal trunk (p = 0.003) and age less than 60 yr (p = 0.036) were independent favorable prognostic factors. A prognostic index was calculated from these three factors according to the following equation: 1.8109 × (0 = performance status of 0–1 and 1 = performance status of 2–3) + 0.9322 × (0 = tumor thrombus absent in the main portal trunk and 1 = present) + 0.6996 × (0 = age < 60 yr and 1 = age ± 60 yr). This index was used to classify the patients into three groups with a good, intermediate and poor prognosis. The median survival times for these three groups were 9.8, 3.8 and 1.9 mo, respectively (p < 0.01). The results of this study may be useful in the design and analysis of future clinical trials of systemic therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. (H EPATOLOGY 1992;16:112–117.)