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γ-Glutamyltranspeptidase is a Prognostic Marker of Survival and Recurrence in Radiofrequency-Ablation Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

  • Hepatobiliary Tumors
  • Published:
Annals of Surgical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Serum γ-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) level, which is often elevated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), has now been found to be an oxidative stress marker which correlates with inflammation in the extracellular hepatic microenvironment. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance of GGT serum levels in patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation (RFA) therapy for the treatment of HCC.

Methods

This retrospective study included 254 patients with small liver cancer (tumor of ≤5 cm in diameter and nodule of ≤3 cm) who had been treated with RFA. Baseline serum GGT was examined before therapy, and overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival were evaluated by the Kaplan–Meier method. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to analyze the significance of GGT and other serum markers as prognostic factors.

Results

After a median follow-up of 27 months, 51 patients had died and 123 had hepatic recurrence. After treatment with RFA, HCC patients with elevated GGT had a shorter OS versus those with normal GGT level (p = 0.001); they also had higher recurrence (p = 0.001). On multivariate analysis, albumin (p = 0.003), GGT (p = 0.035), and tumor size (p = 0.027) were independent risk factors for survival, and GGT (p = 0.010) and tumor size (p = 0.026) were significant risk factors for recurrence.

Conclusions

Serum GGT is a convenient prognostic biomarker related to OS and recurrence in HCC patients undergoing RFA treatment.

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Acknowledgment

This study was supported by the National Clinical Key Special Subject of China (Grant 81172275) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant 21272565).

Conflicts of interest

Hui Ma, Lan Zhang, Bei Tang, Yan Wang, Rongxin Chen, Boheng Zhang, Yi Chen, Ningling Ge, Yanhong Wang, Yuhong Gan, Shenglong Ye, and Zhenggang Ren declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China

    Hui Ma MD, Lan Zhang MD, Bei Tang MD, Yan Wang MD, Rongxin Chen MD, PhD, Boheng Zhang MD, PhD, Yi Chen MD, PhD, Ningling Ge MD, PhD, Yanhong Wang MD, PhD, Yuhong Gan MD, Shenglong Ye MD, PhD & Zhenggang Ren MD, PhD

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  1. Hui Ma MD
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  2. Lan Zhang MD
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  3. Bei Tang MD
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  4. Yan Wang MD
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  5. Rongxin Chen MD, PhD
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  6. Boheng Zhang MD, PhD
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  7. Yi Chen MD, PhD
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  8. Ningling Ge MD, PhD
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  9. Yanhong Wang MD, PhD
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  10. Yuhong Gan MD
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  11. Shenglong Ye MD, PhD
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  12. Zhenggang Ren MD, PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhenggang Ren MD, PhD.

Additional information

Hui Ma and Lan Zhang have contributed equally to this article.

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Ma, H., Zhang, L., Tang, B. et al. γ-Glutamyltranspeptidase is a Prognostic Marker of Survival and Recurrence in Radiofrequency-Ablation Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Ann Surg Oncol 21, 3084–3089 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-014-3724-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-014-3724-4

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