ABSTRACT
Selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) has emerged as a viable endovascular treatment strategy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). According to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) classification, SIRT is currently recommended for early- and intermediate-stage HCC that is unsuitable for alternative locoregional therapies. Additionally, SIRT remains a recommended treatment for patients with advanced-stage HCC and portal vein thrombosis (PVT) without extrahepatic metastasis. Several studies have shown that SIRT is a versatile and promising treatment with a wide range of applications. Consequently, given its favourable characteristics in various scenarios, SIRT could be an encouraging treatment option for patients with HCC across different BCLC stages. Over the past decade, an increasing number of studies have focused on better understanding the prognostic factors associated with SIRT to identify patients who derive the most benefit from this treatment or to refine the optimal technical procedures of SIRT. Several variables can influence treatment decisions, with a growing emphasis on a personalised approach. This review, based on the literature, will focus on the prognostic factors associated with the effectiveness of radioembolization and related complications. By comprehensively analysing these factors, we aimed to provide a clearer understanding of how to optimise the use of SIRT in managing HCC patients, thereby enhancing outcomes across various clinical scenarios.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Liver resection is the only curative therapeutic option for large hepatocellular carcinoma (> 5 cm), but survival is worse than in smaller tumours, mostly due to the high recurrence rate. There is currently no proper tool for stratifying relapse risk. Herein, we investigated prognostic factors before hepatectomy in patients with a single large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively identified 119 patients who underwent liver resection for a single large HCC in 2 tertiary academic French centres and collected pre- and post-operative clinical, biological and radiological features. The primary outcome was overall survival at five years. Secondary outcomes were recurrence-free survival at five years and prognostic factors for recurrence. RESULTS: A total of 84% of the patients were male, and the median age was 66 years old (IQR 58-74). Thirty-nine (33%) had Child-Pugh A cirrhosis, and the mean Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score was 6 (6-6). The aetiology of liver disease was predominantly alcohol-related (48%), followed by nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (22%), hepatitis B (18%) and hepatitis C (10%). The mean tumour size was 70 mm (55-110). The median overall survival was 72.5 months (IC 95%: 56.2-88.7), and the five-year overall survival was 55.1 ± 5.5%. The median recurrence-free survival was 26.6 months (95% CI: 16.0-37.1), and the five-year recurrence-free survival rate was 37.8 ± 5%. In multivariate analysis, preoperative prognostic factors for recurrence were baseline alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) > 7 ng/mL (p<0.001), portal veinous invasion (p=0.003) and cirrhosis (p=0.020). Using these factors, we created a simple recurrence-risk scoring system that classified three groups with distinct disease-free survival medians (p<0.001): no risk factors (65 months), 1 risk factor (36 months), and ≥2 risk factors (8.9 months). CONCLUSION: Liver resection is the only curative option for large HCC, and we confirmed that survival could be acceptable in experienced centres. Recurrence is the primary issue of surgery, and we proposed a simple preoperative score to help identify patients with the most worrisome prognosis and possible candidates for combined therapy.