Baseline characteristics of patients with HCC by disease recurrence status following LTx (n=47)
| Baseline characteristics | (n=47) | Recurrence (n=15) | No recurrence (n=32) | p Values | |
| Age (years) | Age, mean±SD | 48.8±9.9 | 44.9±9.7 | 50.6±9.6 | 0.069 |
| Sex | Male | 45 (95.7) | 14 (93.3) | 31 (96.9) | 0.541 |
| Female | 2 (4.3) | 1 (6.7) | 1 (3.1) | ||
| Liver cirrhosis | No | 2 (4.3) | 15 (100) | 30 (93.8) | 1.000 |
| Yes | 45 (95.7) | 0 (0) | 2 (6.3) | ||
| Edmondson stage | I–II | 1 (2.1) | 0 (0) | 1 (3.1) | 0.027* |
| II | 11 (23.4) | 1 (6.7) | 10 (31.3) | ||
| II–III | 20 (42.6) | 5 (33.3) | 15 (46.9) | ||
| III | 15 (31.9) | 9 (60) | 6 (18.8) | ||
| T stage | 1–2 | 14 (29.8) | 1 (6.7) | 13 (40.6) | 0.020* |
| 3–4 | 33 (70.2) | 14 (93.3) | 19 (59.4) | ||
| Baseline CTCs counts (/5 mL) | ≥1 | 40 (85.1) | 12 (80) | 28 (87.5) | 0.664 |
| ≥2 | 33 (70.2) | 8 (53.3) | 25 (78.1) | 0.083 | |
| ≥5 | 26 (55.3) | 6 (40.0) | 20 (62.5) | 0.211 | |
| Accumulated tumor diameter | ≤8 cm | 22 (46.8) | 2 (13.3) | 20 (62.5) | 0.002* |
| >8 cm | 25 (53.2) | 13 (86.7) | 12 (37.5) | ||
| Number of tumors | 1 | 16 (34.0) | 2 (13.3) | 14 (43.8) | 0.052 |
| ≥2 | 31 (66.0) | 13 (86.7) | 18 (56.3) | ||
| Maximal tumor diameter | ≤5 cm | 22 (46.8) | 4 (26.7) | 18 (56.3) | 0.070 |
| >5 cm | 25 (53.2) | 11 (73.3) | 14 (43.8) | ||
| Capsule invasion | No | 39 (83.0) | 13 (86.7) | 26 (81.3) | 1.000 |
| Complete | 8 (17.0) | 2 (13.3) | 6 (18.7) | ||
| Microvascular cancer embolus | No | 34 (72.3) | 7 (46.7) | 6 (18.8) | 0.046* |
| Yes | 13 (27.7) | 8 (53.3) | 26 (81.3) | ||
| Portal tumor embolus | No | 10 (21.3) | 6 (40.0) | 4 (12.5) | 0.054 |
| Yes | 37 (78.7) | 9 (60.0) | 28 (87.5) | ||
| Preoperative AFP | <200 µg/L | 26 (55.3) | 3 (20.0) | 18 (56.2) | 0.028* |
| >200 µg/L | 21 (44.7) | 12 (80.0) | 14 (43.8) | ||
Data were summarized as n (%).
*p<0.05.
AFP, alpha-fetoprotein; CTC, circulating tumor cell; HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; LTx, liver transplantation.