LCSGJ-T classification, 6th or 5th edition TNM staging did not independently predict the long-term prognosis of HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma after radical hepatectomy.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The 6th edition tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging (TNM-6) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was recommended. Besides, Liver Cancer Study Group of Japan (LCSGJ)-T classification has been recently proposed. However, these newly established staging systems should be further verified in different subgroups of HCC patients. The current study mainly aimed to validate the predictive power of these novel criteria in a cohort of patients with hepatitis B virus-related HCC after radical hepatectomy. As a control, the 5th edition TNM staging (TNM-5) was also evaluated. METHODS AND MATERIALS Clinicopathological and follow-up data of consecutive 142 patients with HBV-related HCC undergoing radical hepatectomy were reviewed. The impact of variables on prognosis was determined by uni- and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: By univariate analysis, LCSGJ-T classification, TNM-6, and TNM-5 were almost significantly prognostic, except for TNM-5 for disease-free survival. Meanwhile, tumor size>or=5 cm, alpha-fetoprotein>400 ng/mL, high Edmondson-Steiner grade, presence of microvascular invasion, portal vein tumor thrombosis, satellite nodule, and resection margindisease-free survival. Multivariate analysis, including aforementioned factors, suggested that Edmondson-Steiner grade was the sole independent prognosticator for both overall and disease-free survival, when LCSGJ-T classification, TNM-6, and TNM-5 were entered, respectively. However, all 3 staging systems lost their predictive potentials in multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS:

LCSGJ-T classification, TNM-6, and TNM-5 were not revealed to be independently prognostic in patients with HBV-related HCC after radical hepatectomy. Therefore, these staging criteria, especially the newly developed ones, call for more support in many subsets of HCC patients.