Risk factors for early postoperative recurrence in single and small hepatitis B virus-associated primary hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Objective To investigate the risk factors of early postoperative recurrence in patients with single and small (≤3 cm) hepatitis B virus-associated primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-HCC). Methods This retrospective study analyzed patients with single and small HBV-HCC. All patients were followed up for 1 year after surgery. Results Among 182 patients, 54 patients had early recurrence within 1 year. The recurrence group had higher proportions of men, drinking history, Child–Turcotte–Pugh (CTP) class C, patients who underwent transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), and serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) >10 ng/mL as well as higher gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) levels and lower total protein (TP) and CD8+ T lymphocyte levels than the no recurrence group. Cox multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that drinking history (HR, 1.312; 95% CI, 1.042–1.652), CTP class C (HR, 1.236; 95% CI, 1.037–1.473), TACE treatment (HR, 1.241; 95% CI, 1.026–1.501), GGT (HR, 1.138; 95% CI, 1.042–1.243), TP (HR, 0.729; 95% CI, 0.555–0.957), and AFP (HR, 2.519; 95% CI, 1.343–4.726) were independently associated with early postoperative recurrence. Conclusion Drinking history, CTP class C, TACE, serum AFP, GGT, and TP levels were independently associated with early postoperative recurrence in patients with single and small HBV-HCC.