Prognostic value of serum apolipoprotein B (ApoB) to apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) ratio in hepatocellular carcinoma patients with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization treatment: propensity score-matched analysis.

Abstract

e14589 Background: The aim of our research was to assess the prognostic value of ApoB to ApoA-I ratio (ApoB/ApoA-I) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) treatment. Methods: We collected clinicopathological data of 455 HCC patients with TACE treatments. The cutoff value of ApoB/ApoAI identified by receiver-operating curve (ROC) was 0.56. Correlation analysis was carried out to explore the relationship among ApoB/ApoA-I and other clinicopathological variables. Propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis was carried out to eliminate the unbalance of baseline characteristics of high and low ApoB/ApoA-I group. Finally, 278 patients were included in the PSM cohort, 139 patients in the high APOB/APOA-I group and 139 patients in the low APOB/APOA-I group. Univariate and multivariate analysis were conducted to explore the independent prognostic value of ApoB/ApoA-I in 455 patients and in the PSM cohort. Results: ApoB/ApoA-I was significantly correlated with AFP, NCCN T stage, distant metastasis status and TNM system(P < 0.05). Patients with AFP≥400ng, T3-4, distant metastasis and TNM III-IV had significantly higher serum ApoB/ApoA-I level than that of patients with AFP ≥ 400 ng/ml, T1-2, without metastasis and TNM I-II(P <0.05). Patients in high ApoB/ApoA-I group had significantly shorter overall survival compared to those in low ApoB/ApoA-I group in 455 HCC patients and in the PSM cohort (P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis indicated that ApoB/ApoA-I was an independent prognostic index for OS in 455 HCC patients and the PSM cohort (HR = 1.443, P = 0.006; HR = 1.564, P = 0.006, respectively.) Conclusions: Serum ApoB/ApoA-I is a novel independent prognostic factor for the HCC patients treated with TACE.