Preoperative blood CD4+/CD8+ ratio as an independent predictor of postoperative recurrence after hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Objective To study the predictive value of preoperative blood CD4 +/CD8 + ratio in postoperative recurrence after hepatectomy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods The clinical data of 67 patients who underwent hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma at The Fifth Hospital Affiliated to Sun Yat-sen University were analyzed retrospectively.Using the preoperative blood CD4 +/CD8 + ratio,these patients were divided into 2 groups,the CD4 +/CD8 + ＜ 1 group and the CD4 +/CD8 + ≥ 1 group.These patients were followed up at the outpatient clinic and/or by telephone till June 2013.The Cox ratio risk pattern analysis was used to determine the significant risk factors of tumor recurrence.Results On univariate analysis,preoperative AFP ≥400 μg/L,maximum diameter of tumor ＞ 5 cm,number of tumor ＞ 3,CD4 +/CD8 + ＜ 1,vascular invasion,positive resection margin,and portal vein tumor thrombus were risk factors of poor disease-free survival (P ＜ 0.05).On multivariant analysis,CD4 +/CD8 + ＜ 1,number of tumor ＞ 3,and portal vein tumor thrombus were independent predictors of poor disease-free survival after hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Preoperative CD4 +/CD8 + ＜ 1 was an independent adverse predictor of poor disease-free survival.It was valuable in predicting postoperative recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma. Key words: Hepatocellular carcinoma; T lymphocytes, CD4+/CD8+ ratio; Postoperative recurrence