AUTHOR=Sun Hongfa , Wang Hanlin , Wang Youpeng , Zhong Wenqing , Meng Yushan , Lv Ziqiang , Guo Weidong , Han Bing 

TITLE=Adjuvant transarterial chemoembolization timing after radical resection is an independent prognostic factor for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2023.1129065

DOI=10.3389/fonc.2023.1129065

ISSN=2234-943X

ABSTRACT=Background: It has been reported that postoperative adjuvant TACE (PA-TACE) treatment decreases recurrence and significantly improves the survival of patients who undergo radical resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with high-risk recurrence factors. However, when to perform PA-TACE has not been fully studied.
Methods: We retrospectively collected the clinicopathologic characteristics of the patients with HCC between October 2013 and June 2020. The optimal cutoff value for PA-TACE time was determined based on the R package ”maxstat”. Logistic regression and Cox regression analysis were used to determine the effect of the choice of PA-TACE timing on prognosis.
Results: The analysis was performed on 789 patients with HCC, and 484 patients were finally involved and were divided into training cohort (378) and validation cohort (106). The PA-TACE timing was found to be associated with survival outcomes. Multivariate logistic analysis found independent predictors of the PA-TACE timing, including gender and history of HBV. Multivariate Cox analysis showed that Ki-67, tumor size, MVI and the PA-TACE timing were independent prognostic factors for RFS in HCC patients.
Conclusions: Based on this study, HCC patients with high-risk recurrence factors can receive personalized assistance in undergoing PA-TACE treatment and improve their survival outcomes.