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Clinical features and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in Mongolia: a multicentre study

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Abstract

Purpose

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common cancer in Mongolia. We aimed to investigate the clinical features, therapeutic modalities, overall survival and prognostic factors for Mongolian patients with HCC.

Method

One hundred ninety-five patients with HCC were consecutively enroled in our study.

Results

The mean age was 61.7 years. The most common etiology for HCC was HCV infection (n = 89, 45.6%), followed by HBV infection (n = 67, 34.4%). The mean tumor diameter was 6.0 ± 2.6 cm. Only 29 (14.9%) patients had a single lesion, while 39 (20.2%) had >3 lesions. Extrahepatic metastasis to lung (n = 23), bone (n = 10) and lymph node (n = 3) were detected in 36 (18.5%) patients. Most patients had advanced HCC—88 (45.1%) in stage III and 57 (29.2%) in stage IV. Surgical resection was performed in 27 (13.8%) patients, RFA in 23 (11.8%) and TACE in 107 (54.9%). When all the patients were categorized as ‘treated’ (n = 156) and ‘not treated’ (n = 39), the 3-year survival was significantly lower in the ‘not treated’ group than in the ‘treated’ group (11 vs. 0%, P < 0.001). Tumor diameter (<3 cm vs. ≥3 cm), extrahepatic metastasis, TNM stage (I/II vs. III/IV) and treatment (or supportive care) were selected as independent predictors for survival.

Conclusions

High proportion of patients with HCC in Mongolia is diagnosed at an advanced stage and survival of these patients is lower compared to other countries. A surveillance system and referral policy for high-risk groups should be urgently established and implemented in Mongolia.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported partly by the Grant of the Korea Healthcare Technology R&D Project, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea (no. A102065) and partly by funds from Yonsei Liver Blood Bank (YLBB).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 250 Seongsanno, Seodaemun-gu, 120-752, Seoul, South Korea

    Oidov Baatarkhuu, Do Young Kim, Seung Up Kim, Kwang-Hyub Han & Sang Hoon Ahn

  2. Department of Infectious Diseases, Health Sciences University, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

    Oidov Baatarkhuu, Naran Khorolsuren & Ravjir Oyungerel

  3. Mongolian Academy of Medical Science, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

    Pagbajabyn Nymadawa & Kwang-Hyub Han

  4. Department of Radiology, Health Sciences University, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

    Dagvasumberel Gonchigsuren

  5. Department of Surgery, National Cancer Center, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

    Ravjir Sanduijav

  6. Department of Radiology, General Hospital #3, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

    Zundui Lkhagvasuren

  7. Mongolian Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

    Oidov Baatarkhuu & Jazag Amarsanaa

  8. Liver Cirrhosis Clinical Research Center, Seoul, South Korea

    Oidov Baatarkhuu, Do Young Kim, Seung Up Kim, Kwang-Hyub Han & Sang Hoon Ahn

  9. Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Sciences, Seoul, South Korea

    Kwang-Hyub Han & Sang Hoon Ahn

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  1. Oidov Baatarkhuu
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  2. Do Young Kim
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  3. Pagbajabyn Nymadawa
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  4. Seung Up Kim
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  5. Kwang-Hyub Han
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  6. Jazag Amarsanaa
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  7. Dagvasumberel Gonchigsuren
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  8. Ravjir Sanduijav
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  9. Zundui Lkhagvasuren
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  10. Naran Khorolsuren
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  11. Ravjir Oyungerel
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  12. Sang Hoon Ahn
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sang Hoon Ahn.

Additional information

O. Baatarkhuu and D. Y. Kim equally contributed to this work.

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Baatarkhuu, O., Kim, D.Y., Nymadawa, P. et al. Clinical features and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in Mongolia: a multicentre study. Hepatol Int 6, 763–769 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12072-011-9325-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12072-011-9325-4

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