Elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein levels are associated with poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma after surgical resection: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background and study aims: The relationship between the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level and the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after surgical resection remains unknown. This study aims to assess this relationship.

Patients and methods: PubMed and Web of Science were systematically utilised. Meta-analysis was conducted for the outcomes of the recurrence-free survival (RFS) and the overall survival (OS) by comparing the high AFP group with the low AFP group.

Results: The studies included 61 manuscripts with 35,461 patients. The summary hazard ratio (HR) for RFS was 1.501 (95% CI 1.355-1.662; Z = 7.81, P < 0.00001) when comparing the high AFP group with the low AFP group. Sensitivity analysis only included adjusted HRs, with the summary HR being 1.563 (95% CI 1.381-1.768; Z = 7.10, P < 0.00001). The summary HR for OS was 1.565 (95% CI 1.439-1.701; Z = 10.52, P < 0.00001) when comparing two AFP groups. Sensitivity analysis showed that the summary HR was 1.611 (95% CI 1.456-1.782; Z = 9.24, P < 0.00001).

Conclusion: Our meta-analysis indicated that elevated serum AFP levels are associated with poor prognosis of HCC after surgical resection.

Keywords: Alpha-fetoproteins; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Prognosis; Surgical resection.