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Influence of serum HBV DNA load on recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after treatment with percutaneous radiofrequency ablation

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Abstract

Background

High serum load of hepatitis B virus (HBV) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a strong risk factor of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development, independent of hepatitis B e antigen, serum alanine aminotransferase level, and liver cirrhosis. We evaluated whether serum HBV DNA load is associated with the risk of recurrence of HBV-related HCC treated with radiofrequency ablation (RFA).

Methods

The study population was 69 consecutive patients with HBV-related HCC treated locally completely with RFA between January 2000 and September 2007. The risk factors for HCC recurrence were analyzed based on laboratory data, including serum HBV DNA load, together with tumor size and number using univariate and multivariate proportional hazard regression analyses.

Results

HCC recurrence was observed in 42 of 69 patients during the median observation period of 1.5 years. Cumulative recurrence rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 26.5, 57.8, and 74.3%, respectively. In univariate analysis, albumin (<3.5 g/dl), platelet count (<150 × 103/mm3), prothrombin activity (PT) (<70%), Child-Pugh class B, serum HBV DNA load (>4.0 log10 copies/ml), and tumor number (>3) were associated with the recurrence at p ≤ 0.15. Multivariate Cox regression analysis with stepwise variable selection showed that the tumor number (risk ratio, 4.63; 95% CI, 1.50–14.25, P = 0.0076), low PT (3.39, 1.52–5.78, P = 0.0029), and high HBV DNA load (2.67, 1.16–6.14, P = 0.021) were independent risk factors for HCC recurrence.

Conclusion

Serum HBV DNA load is associated with the risk of recurrence of HBV-related HCC after RFA.

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Abbreviations

HBV:

Hepatitis B virus

HCC:

Hepatocellular carcinoma

RFA:

Radiofrequency ablation

HBsAg:

Hepatitis B surface antigen

HCV-Ab:

Hepatitis C virus antibody

CT:

Computed tomography

HBeAg:

Hepatitis B e antigen

HBeAb:

Hepatitis B e antibody

AST:

Aspartate aminotransferase

ALT:

Alanine aminotransferase

PLT:

Platelet count

PT:

Prothrombin activity

AFP:

Alpha-fetoprotein

AFP-L3:

Lens culinaris agglutinin A-reactive fraction of AFP

DCP:

Des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan

    Tadashi Goto, Haruhiko Yoshida, Ryosuke Tateishi, Kenichiro Enooku, Eriko Goto, Takahisa Sato, Takamasa Ohki, Ryota Masuzaki, Jun Imamura, Shuichiro Shiina, Kazuhiko Koike & Masao Omata

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  1. Tadashi Goto
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  2. Haruhiko Yoshida
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  3. Ryosuke Tateishi
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  5. Eriko Goto
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  6. Takahisa Sato
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Correspondence to Tadashi Goto.

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Goto, T., Yoshida, H., Tateishi, R. et al. Influence of serum HBV DNA load on recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after treatment with percutaneous radiofrequency ablation. Hepatol Int 5, 767–773 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12072-011-9255-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12072-011-9255-1

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