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- Sternby Eilard, Malin, 1974, et al.
(author)
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Addition of alfa fetoprotein to traditional criteria for hepatocellular carcinoma improves selection accuracy in liver transplantation
- 2018
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0036-5521 .- 1502-7708. ; 53:8, s. 976-983
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: Liver transplantation in hepatocellular cancer (HCC) is curative only for a selection of patients. Commonly used criteria are mostly based on tumor size and number. However, patients within criteria do have tumor recurrences after transplantation and patients outside criteria are excluded even though some could benefit from transplantation. The tumor marker alpha fetoprotein (AFP) is associated with poor outcome and has already been reported to improve selection. We investigated the hypothesis that AFP level combined with traditional selection criteria could ameliorate the selection accuracy for liver transplantation in HCC.Materials and methods: A retrospective national cohort study in 336 patients who had liver transplantation for HCC in Sweden 1996-2014.Results: AFP cut-off levels of 20, 100, 1000 and >1000ng/mL stratified both survival and tumor recurrence, with estimated 5-year survival rates of 74, 61, 49 and 31%, respectively. A simple score, combining three risk levels according to Milan and UCSF fulfillment with three levels of AFP, increased predictive accuracy. A high score identified 35 at-risk patients with estimated post-transplant 5-year survival rate of only 29% compared to 50% for 76 patients excluded by UCSF. More patients were within the combined score cut-off compared to within UCSF, but 5-year survival was similar, 67% versus 66%.Conclusion: AFP combined with traditional selection criteria ameliorates the selection accuracy for liver transplantation in HCC.
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- Sternby Eilard, Malin, 1974, et al.
(author)
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Quality of life as a prognostic factor for survival in hepatocellular carcinoma
- 2018
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In: Liver International. - : Wiley. - 1478-3223. ; 38:5, s. 885-894
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background & Aims: Prognostication in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is demanding. Not only tumour extent and performance status are to be considered, but also liver function, which is often limiting for both survival itself and for treatment possibilities. This study was conducted to assess whether patient-reported questionnaires containing general and liver-specific questions could improve prognostication of survival. Methods: 185 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in Norway and Sweden were prospectively included. Patients completed the quality-of-life questionnaires EORTC QLQ C30 and HCC18, and clinical, radiological and laboratory parameters were registered. Multivariate Cox regression and Harrell's C-statistics were used to identify the model that best predicted mortality. Results: Quality-of-life data were prognostic for overall survival. Fatigue and nutrition scales were prognostic in the multivariable analyses alone and in combination with clinical parameters. The prognostic value of established scoring systems was increased by the addition of QoL data. The best prognostic power was achieved by combining HCC18 nutrition scale with selected background parameters. Conclusion: Quality-of-life questionnaires can prognosticate mortality in HCC patients. When combined with established scoring systems, both the general cancer questionnaire EORTC QLQ C30, and the additional liver cancer-specific HCC18 increased the prognostic accuracy slightly.
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