Predictive Independent Factors for Extrahepatic Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Following Curative Hepatectomy

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic factors associated with extrahepatic metastasis of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Patients and methods: We retrospectively analyzed 559 patients with HCC who underwent curative hepatectomy. We divided the patients into no recurrence (NoR), intrahepatic early recurrence (IHER), intrahepatic late recurrence (IHLR), and extrahepatic recurrence (EHR) groups. We compared the non-metastatic group (IHLR and NoR) with the metastatic group (IHER and EHR) and also compared IHER with EHR to determine risk factors for EHR.

Results: There were 252, 163, 109, and 35 patients with NoR, IHER, IHLR, and EHR, respectively. For the EHR group, the independent risk factor was vascular invasion. The EHR group had better liver function and worse tumor factors.

Conclusion: Vascular invasion is predictive of extrahepatic metastasis of HCC.

Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma; extrahepatic recurrence; intrahepatic recurrence; prognosis; surgical resection.