Autoimmune hepatitis-related hepatocellular carcinoma: its clinical characteristics and impact on prognosis

Abstract

Objective To study the clinical features and prognostic risk factors of patients with autoimmune hepatitis-related hepatocellular carcinoma (AIH-HCC).Methods We reviewed the clinical data of 40 patients with AIH-HCC who were treated at the 302 Hospital between May 1,2008 and April 30,2013,and analyzed the clinical characteristics and prognostic risk factors of these patients.Results These patients were diagnosed to have HCC at a mean ± SD of 55.1 ± 13.5 years (range 28-76 years).The median duration from the time of confirmed cirrhosis to a diagnosis of HCC was 49.2 ± 44.5 months (range 3-194 months).The median survival of the AIH-HCC patients was 16.0 ±4.0 months (range 1-44 months),and the 1-year survival rate was 54.0％.Univariate analysis showed AFP,tumor size,tumor number were related to prognosis (P ＜ 0.05) ; while gender,age,IAIHG score,category,history of blood transfusion,alcohol-drinking and smoking did not significantly affect the patients' survival (P ＞ 0.05).Multivariate regression analysis showed AFP and tumor number were independent prognostic factors.Most of these patients received transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE),however the survival rate of those patients who received hepatectomy was significantly higher than those who received TACE or accepted conservative treatment.Conclusion Liver cirrhosis in AIH is the sine qua non for HCC development,which subsequently occurs at a rate of 1.65％ per year.Patients who had AFP-negativity or a single tumor had a better prognosis.Surgical treatment prolonged survival. Key words: Autoimmune hepatitis; Liver cirrhosis; Hepatocellular carcinoma