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The Half-Life of Serum Des-Gamma-Carboxy Prothrombin Is a Prognostic Index of Survival and Recurrence After Liver Resection for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

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

Abstract

Background

Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) is a representative tumor marker of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and its values are occasionally very high in HCC cases. The current study aimed to clarify the postoperative half-life of DCP as a prognostic factor.

Methods

This retrospective study enrolled 177 patients who had undergone liver resection as an initial treatment for HCC. Three DCP half-life groups were defined as follows: within the normal range, half-life shorter than 4 days, and half-life of 4 days or longer. The overall and recurrence-free survival rates were estimated and compared among the three groups.

Results

There were 140 patients in the group with a DCP half-life in the normal range, 19 patients in the group with a DCP half-life shorter 4 days, and 18 patients in the group with a DCP half-life of 4 days or longer. A multivariate analysis showed that only a postoperative DCP half-life of 4 days or longer was an independent prognostic risk factor for overall and recurrence-free survival (respective hazard ratios of 2.92 and 4.19; P < 0.001). The group with a preoperative DCP value lower than 1400 mAU/mL, the median value of DCP in the current study, included no patients from the group with a half-life shorter than 4 days. The overall and recurrence-free survival rates in the group with a half-life of 4 days or longer were significantly poorer (P < 0.001) than in the group that had a half-life shorter than 4 days (P = 0.002) with a preoperative DCP status of 1400 mAU/mL or more.

Conclusions

The current study showed for the first time that a prolonged half-life of DCP is an independent prognostic risk factor for survival and recurrence after liver resection with curative intent.

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There are no grants or other financial support for this study

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There are no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Shizuoka Cancer Center Hospital, Shizuoka, Japan

    Yukiyasu Okamura MD, PhD, Teiichi Sugiura MD, PhD, Takaaki Ito MD, PhD, Yusuke Yamamoto MD, Ryo Ashida MD & Katsuhiko Uesaka MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Yukiyasu Okamura MD, PhD
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  2. Teiichi Sugiura MD, PhD
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  3. Takaaki Ito MD, PhD
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  4. Yusuke Yamamoto MD
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  5. Ryo Ashida MD
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  6. Katsuhiko Uesaka MD, PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yukiyasu Okamura MD, PhD.

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Okamura, Y., Sugiura, T., Ito, T. et al. The Half-Life of Serum Des-Gamma-Carboxy Prothrombin Is a Prognostic Index of Survival and Recurrence After Liver Resection for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Ann Surg Oncol 23 (Suppl 5), 921–928 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-016-5570-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-016-5570-z

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