Child-Pugh Grade Research Articles

Is atezolizumab plus bevacizumab as first-line therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma superior to lenvatinib? a systematic review and meta‑analysis.

This meta-analysis was dedicated to evaluating the effectiveness and safety of Atezolizumab plus Bevacizumab (Atez/Bev) and Lenvatinib (LEN) as first-line systematic therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (u-HCC). The prospective protocol for this study was registered with the PROSPERO (Registration number: CRD42022356874). Literature searches were conducted in PubMed, EMBASE database Cochrane Library, and Web Science to determine all clinical controlled studies that reported Atez/Bev and LEN for treating u-HCC. We. evaluated as primary end-point overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), as well as other outcomes such as tumor response and adverse events (AEs).Quality assessment and data extraction of studies were conducted independently by three reviewers. Mean difference (MD) and odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using a fixed-effects or random-effects model. The meta-analysis was performed with RevMan 5.3 software. 12 retrospective cohort studies (RCSs) involving a total of 4948 patients were finally included. The results showed that compared with LEN, Atez/Bev can improve the patient's PFS (HR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.72 ~ 0.88; p < 0.0001) and reduce the rate of overall AEs (OR = 0.46 95% CI: 0.38 ~ 0.55, p < 0.00001) and grade ≥ 3 AEs (OR = 0.43; 95% CI: 0.36 ~ 0.51, p < 0.00001), while there is no difference between OS and treatment responses rate (objective response rate, disease control rate, complete response, partial response, progressive disease, and stable disease) between two groups. In addition, the subgroup analysis shows that Atez/Bev can promote the OS of patients with viral hepatitis. (HR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.67 ~ 0.95; p = 0.01), while LEN has an advantage in improving OS in patients with Child-Pugh grade B liver function (HR = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.50 ~ 2.63; p < 0.00001). Current evidence shows that compared with LEN, Atez/Bev has more advantages in PFS and safety in treating u-HCC and can improve the OS of patients with viral. LEN has advantages in improving the OS of patients with grade B liver function. However, more multicenter randomized controlled experiments are needed in the future to verify our results.

Soluble TREM2 reflects liver fibrosis status and predicts postoperative liver dysfunction after liver surgery.

Background & AimsChronic liver disease (CLD) represents a major risk for mortality and, while challenging, early detection is key to improve overall outcome. Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2)-expressing macrophages and systemic levels of soluble TREM2 (sTREM2) appear critical in the development of CLD and seem relevant in its detection. The aim of this study was to examine sTREM2 as a marker for early CLD and its potential to predict posthepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) in patients undergoing partial hepatectomy. MethodsSTREM2 was assessed in plasma of 108 patients undergoing liver resection. Blood was drawn prior to surgery (preop) and on the first and fifth postoperative day. ResultsPreop sTREM2 levels were similar across different indications for resection (p=0.091). Higher preop sTREM2 levels were associated with advanced hepatic fibrosis (p=0.030) and PHLF (p=0.007). Fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4) (p=0.619) and Model for End Stage Liver Disease (MELD) (p=0.590) did not show a difference between patients grouped by their CLD. Comparing the area under the curve from receiver operating characteristic analysis, sTREM2 (AUC=0.708) outperformed FIB-4 (AUC=0.529), MELD (AUC=0.587), Child-Pugh grading (AUC=0.570) and liver maximum capacity test (LiMAx) (AUC=0.516) in predicting PHLF. Similarly, in uni- and multivariate analysis only sTREM2 proved predictive for PHLF (p=0.023). A high- (p=0.003) and low-risk cutoff (p=0.011) for systemic sTREM2 levels were able to identify patients at risk for adverse outcome after surgery. Finally, high sTREM2 was associated with decreased overall survival after liver surgery (p<0.001). ConclusionsCirculating sTREM2 shows sensitivity for early-stage, asymptomatic liver disease, irrespective of the underlying indication for liver surgery. Assessment of CLD via sTREM2 monitoring could improve early detection of CLD and improve outcome after liver surgery. Impact and ImplicationsSoluble TREM2 (sTREM2) has previously been established to correlate with the degree of chronic liver disease. We found that even in patients undergoing liver resection, who generally do not suffer from end stage liver disease, sTREM2 reflects liver fibrosis status and predicts postoperative development of liver dysfunction. This is especially relevant for liver surgeons and patients, as postoperative liver dysfunction is the main reason for postoperative mortality. Our findings are also important for hepatologists, as early detection of liver fiboris and cirrhosis is paramount for overall patient survival and we can show that even in a cohort with a median MELD of 6, sTREM2 is able to distuinguish patients based on their liver fibrosis status.

Analysis of alkaline phosphatase and γ-glutamyltransferase after radiofrequency ablation of primary liver cancer: A retrospective study.

Changes in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) levels in patients with primary liver cancer (PLC) after radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Hepatocellular carcinoma is a malignant tumor with high incidence worldwide. As a common local treatment, RFA has attracted much attention for its efficacy and influence on liver function. To investigate the effect of serum ALP and GGT levels on the prognosis of patients with PLC treated by RFA. The preoperative clinical data of 165 patients who were pathologically or clinically diagnosed with PLC and who received RFA in our hospital between October 2018 and June 2023 were collected. The chi-square test was used to compare the data between groups. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression were used to analyze the associations between serum ALP and GGT levels and overall survival, progression-free survival (PFS) and clinical characteristics of patients before treatment. The 1-year survival rates of patients with normal (≤ 135 U/L) and abnormal (> 135 U/L) serum ALP before treatment were 91% and 79%, respectively; the 2-year survival rates were 90% and 68%, respectively; and the 5-year survival rates were 35% and 18%, respectively. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P = 0.01). Before treatment, the 1-year survival rates of patients with normal serum GGT levels (≤ 45 U/L) and abnormal serum GGT levels (> 45 U/L) were 95% and 87%, the 2-year survival rates were 85% and 71%, and the 5-year survival rates were 37% and 21%, respectively. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Serum ALP [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.766, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1.068-2.921, P = 0.027] and GGT (HR = 2. 312, 95%CI: 1.367-3.912, P = 0.002) is closely related to the overall survival of PLC patients after RF ablation and is an independent prognostic factor. The 1-year PFS rates were 72% and 50%, the 2-year PFS rates were 52% and 21%, and the 5-year PFS rates were 14% and 3%, respectively. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0001). The 1-year PFS rates were 81% and 56% in patients with normal and abnormal serum GGT levels before treatment, respectively; the 2-year PFS rates were 62% and 35%, respectively; and the 5-year PFS rates were 18% and 7%, respectively, with statistical significance between the two groups (P < 0.001). The serum ALP concentration (HR = 1. 653, 95%CI: 1.001-2.729, P = 0.049) and GGT (HR = 1.949, 95%CI: 1.296-2.930, P = 0.001) was closely associated with PFS after RFA in patients with PLC. The proportion of male patients with abnormal ALP levels is high, the Child-Pugh grade of liver function is poor, and the incidence of ascites is high. Among GGT-abnormal patients, the Child-Pugh grade of liver function was poor, the tumor stage was late, the proportion of patients with tumors ≥ 5 cm was high, and the incidence of hepatic encephalopathy was high. Serum ALP and GGT levels before treatment can be used to predict the prognosis of patients with PLC after RFA, and they have certain guiding significance for the long-term survival of patients with PLC after radiofrequency therapy.

Exploring the relationship between vitamin D and hepatic carcinoma in individuals diagnosed with hepatitis B virus infection

ObjectiveThe primary objective of this study is to examine the distribution and prognostic implications of serum vitamin D levels among individuals diagnosed with primary hepatic carcinoma (PHC) attributable to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. MethodsA total of 345 patients diagnosed with HBV infection were enrolled in our hospital between August 2014 and October 2020. Among these, 144 individuals were diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), 66 individuals were diagnosed with HBV-related hepatic cirrhosis (HBV cirrhosis), and 135 individuals were diagnosed with HBV-related PHC (HBV-PHC). Peripheral serum levels of vitamin D were measured. Patients with cirrhosis underwent examination using the Child–Pugh grading system, and the mortality rates at 1-year and 3-year intervals for patients with HBV-PHC were analyzed. ResultsVitamin D levels in peripheral serum in the CHB group, HBV cirrhosis group, and HBV-PHC group exhibited varying degrees of reduction compared to healthy individuals. Significant differences were observed between the three groups (F = 4.02, P = 0.019). No significant difference was observed in vitamin D levels between different Child–Pugh grades within the HBV cirrhosis group (F = 0.89, P = 0.417). However, significant differences were observed in vitamin D levels between different Child–Pugh grades within the HBV-PHC group (F = 4.84, P = 0.009). There was no significant difference in 1-year and 3-year mortality rates between patients diagnosed with HBV-PHC and with varying vitamin D levels (P > 0.05). ConclusionsVitamin D levels decreased to varying degrees in patients diagnosed with CHB, HBV cirrhosis, and PHC. This decrease was well correlated with disease progression (HBV-PHC group < HBV cirrhosis group < CHB group). In cases where hepatic function was comparable, there was no discernible correlation between serum vitamin D level and mortality rates from PHC.

Real-world experience with direct-acting antiviral therapy in HCV-infected patients with cirrhosis and esophageal varices

BackgroundHepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects 50 million people worldwide with around 242,000 deaths annually, mainly due to complications such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Portal hypertension (PH) caused by cirrhosis leads to severe consequences, including esophageal varices (EV). This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment in patients with and without EV.MethodsThis retrospective analysis involved consecutive HCV-infected adults undergoing DAA therapy at 22 Polish hepatology centers from July 1, 2015, to December 31, 2022. Patients with cirrhosis were categorized based on the presence of EV diagnosed by gastroscopy. Treatment effectiveness was measured by sustained virologic response (SVR), with safety outcomes monitored for 12 weeks post-treatment.ResultsA population of 3393 HCV-infected patients with cirrhosis was divided into groups with (A, n = 976) and without (B, n = 2417) EV. Group A showed a significantly higher prevalence of comorbidities and concomitant medications. Genotype (GT)1b infections predominated in both groups, and GT3 infections were more common in the EV group. Group A exhibited more severe liver disease, and higher rates of decompensation, HCC, and HBV co-infection. SVR was significantly higher in group B (91.5% vs. 96.3%, p < 0.0001). Male gender, GT3, EV presence, and Child-Pugh grade B were identified as independent negative SVR predictors. Group A had a worse safety profile, with notably higher adverse event incidence and mortality.ConclusionsDAA therapies are highly effective and well tolerated in patients with cirrhosis, but EV presence predicts poorer virologic responses.

Significance of changes in tumor markers in patients treated with durvalumab plus tremelimumab combination therapy as a surrogate marker for tumor response to unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

When evaluating response to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, the tumor sometimes initially swells before shrinking and ultimately responding, also called pseudo-progression. In this study, we analyzed whether tumor markers were useful for reflecting the treatment response. Thirty-three patients who were treated with durvalumab plus tremelimumab combination therapy (Dur+Tre) were enrolled. Their functional reserve was Child-Pugh grade A. Their tumor markers α-fetoprotein (AFP), des-γ-carboxy prothrombin (DCP), or AFP-Lectin 3 fraction (AFP-L3) were positive. Tumor markers were evaluated before treatment and at 1, 4, and 8weeks after the start of treatment. The first radiological evaluation was carried out at 4weeks and the second evaluation at 8-12weeks. The responders included those with complete response and partial response and the nonresponders included those with stable disease (SD) and progression disease at best response evaluated by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. In the responder group, the change ratio of AFP, DCP, and AFP-L3 specifically decreased at 8weeks. In the nonresponder group, the change ratio of DCP specifically increased at 4weeks. The optimal cut-off value to divide responders and nonresponders at 4weeks was approximately -40%. The ratio of responders was 72.7% in the patients whose AFP or DCP decreased over 40% at 4weeks. The change in tumor markers is a more useful predicter of tumor response to Dur+Tre than imaging evaluation alone.

A Multidisciplinary Therapeutic Approach Proposal for Huge Hepatocellular Carcinomas Exceeding 10 cm in Diameter.

The outcome of hepatectomy for a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) exceeding 10 cm (i.e., huge HCC) remains unfavorable. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the optimal therapeutic approach for huge HCCs. Between 2008 and 2018, patients with a huge HCC who underwent treatment at our institution were enrolled. Cases not meeting the criteria (Child-Pugh grade A or performance status 0/1) and patients with distant metastases were excluded. Patients were stratified into three groups: a) upfront hepatectomy (Upfront); b) hepatectomy subsequent to hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC-Hr); and c) HAIC alone (HAIC). Survival rates, including overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), were analyzed. The cancer-specific mortality attributed to recurrence within one year after surgery was defined as "futile surgery"; the rate of futile surgery was also assessed. A total of 70 cases were censored (Upfront/HAIC-Hr/HAIC: 28/13/29). The 5-year PFS and OS rates for Upfront, HAIC-Hr, and HAIC were 7.7%, 69.2%, and 6.9%, and 37.1%, 79.1%, and 19.7%, respectively. The number of futile surgeries was 6 (21.4%) in the Upfront group, whereas no such cases occurred in the HAIC-Hr group. Although hepatectomy was advocated in the Upfront group due to the potential resectability, the outcomes were comparable to those of the HAIC group. Conversely, the HAIC-Hr group had promising outcomes, marked by a decreased prevalence of futile surgeries. Huge HCCs should be regarded as borderline resectable, even when deemed potentially resectable. Therefore, a multidisciplinary therapeutic approach might be reasonable.

Urinary NGAL in gastrointestinal diseases can be used as an indicator of early infection in addition to acute kidney injury marker.

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is characterized by increased expression before the rise in serum creatinine and has been used as a biomarker for the early prediction of acute kidney injury (AKI). However, there have been no comprehensive analyses of its significance in gastrointestinal diseases. This study aimed to analyze the usefulness of measuring urinary NGAL levels in patients with gastrointestinal diseases. This study included 171 patients with a wide range of gastrointestinal diseases. Urinary NGAL levels were measured in all patients within 24 h of admission and 72 h later. Urinary NGAL levels were higher in patients with acute pancreatitis and acute cholangitis/cholecystitis than in those with other diseases. Although lower than in these diseases, urinary NGAL tends to be higher in inflammatory bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, as well as in acute and chronic liver diseases, and is higher in liver cirrhosis as the Child-Pugh grade increases. Furthermore, we found that the group with higher urinary NGAL levels, which continued to increase over time, had worse hospital stays and prognosis. Urinary NGAL could be used as an indicator of infectious diseases rather than an indicator of AKI in inflammatory bowel diseases and cirrhosis, and could predict the prognosis of patients with gastrointestinal diseases.

Association of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids with Sarcopenia in Liver Cirrhosis Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Sarcopenia is associated with the prognosis of patients with liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Given their diverse physiological activities, we hypothesized that plasma fatty acids might influence the progression of sarcopenia. This study aimed to clarify the association between fatty acids and sarcopenia in cirrhotic patients with HCC. In this single-center retrospective study, we registered 516 cases and analyzed 414 cases of liver cirrhosis and HCC. The skeletal muscle mass index was measured using a transverse computed tomography scan image at the third lumbar vertebra. The cutoff value for sarcopenia followed the criteria set by the Japan Society of Hepatology. Fatty acid concentrations were measured by gas chromatography. Fatty acid levels, particularly omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), were lower in patients with poor liver function (Child-Pugh grade B/C) and were negatively correlated with the albumin-bilirubin score (p<0.0001). The prognosis of HCC patients with low PUFA levels was significantly worse. Among the different fatty acid fractions, only n-3 PUFAs significantly correlated with skeletal muscle mass index (p=0.0026). In the multivariate analysis, the n-3 PUFA level was an independent variable associated with sarcopenia (p=0.0006). A low level of n-3 PUFAs was associated with sarcopenia in patients with liver cirrhosis and HCC.

Outcomes and safety of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: treatment prognosis and comparison with tyrosine kinase inhibitors in a French multicenter matched real-life study.

The combination of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Atz/Bev) has radically changed the treatment strategy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) but raises questions. Our objectives were to determine survival outcomes and safety in a real-life multicenter French cohort, to investigate the on-treatment prognostic value of the bioinflammatory RECA score, and to perform a matched comparison with patients who previously received tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). A retrospective analysis of 109 consecutive patients enrolled from September 2020 to January 2023 and a post matched comparison with a TKI cohort ( n = 79) by the propensity score matching method. The Atz/Bev population was mainly nonviral disease patients (69%) with Child-Pugh grade A (90%), performance status 0/1 (90%), and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage B (38%) or stage C (62%) classification. After a median follow-up of 6.5 months (3.6-11.7), overall survival (OS) was 13.0 (5.1-28.7) months. OS was independently associated with metastasis, increased alkaline phosphatase, and serum bilirubin levels. Treatment-related adverse events were reported in 78% of patients, mostly grade 1 or 2. The RECA score clearly revealed two different prognosis groups after three cycles. No difference in OS was observed after matching between sequential treatment with TKIs and Atz/Bev. This real-life study highlights the importance of liver function when using Atz/Bev combination and the necessity of identifying predictive markers of response to HCC therapies. Our findings suggest a change in practices, with a marked proportion of intermediate stages, and support the on-treatment prognostic value of an inflammatory score.

Detection of minimal hepatic encephalopathy in patients with cirrhosis based on the Stroop-CN model (NCRCID-CHESS 2106): aprospective multicenter study.

Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) has a substantial impact on the clinical outcomes and quality of life (QOL) of patients with cirrhosis. However, timely diagnosis and intervention are challenging due to sophisticated diagnostic methods. In this study, 673 healthy controls and 905 patients with cirrhosis were screened, and 660 healthy controls and 757 patients with cirrhosis, divided into the test (292 patients) and validation (465 patients) cohort, were analyzed after screening. A diagnostic model of the Stroop test (Stroop-CN) was constructed by multivariate linear regression based on the results of healthy controls. The prevalence of MHE and the comparison results with psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score through the Stroop-CN model were stable in the test and validation cohorts. Moreover, the prevalence of MHE remained significantly higher in patients with worse disease conditions marked as high Child-Pugh grades and the Model for End-stage Liver Disease and Sodium (MELD-Na) scores in the test and validation cohort. The EuroQol 5-D questionnaire revealed that patients with MHE had a worse QOL than those without MHE both in the test and validation cohort. In conclusion, an easy and practical Stroop-CN model for MHE diagnosis based on the EncephalApp is established. It is found that a considerable number of Chinese patients with cirrhosis experience MHE, which significantly impacts their QOL.

An analysis of related factors in thrombocytopenia combined with cirrhosis: a cross-sectional study of 2 517 cases

Objective: To explore the related factors of thrombocytopenia (TCP) occurrence in patients with cirrhosis. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Inpatients with an initial diagnosis of cirrhosis at Peking University First Hospital from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2020 were included. Clinical data such as demographic characteristics, etiology of cirrhosis, complications of cirrhosis, laboratory indicators, Child-Pugh grade, invasive procedures, and mortality during hospitalization were collected. A logistic regression model was used to explore the related factors of TCP occurrence in patients with cirrhosis. Categorical variables were compared by the χ(2) test. The inter-group comparison was performed using continuous variables, a t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), or a nonparametric test. Results: There were a total of 2 592 cases of cirrhosis. 75 cases with incomplete clinical data were excluded. 2 517 cases were included for analysis. The median age was 58 (50, 67) years. Males accounted for 64%. 1 435 cases (57.0%) developed TCP, and 434 cases (17.2%) had grade 3-4 TCP. Gender, primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), and concomitant esophagogastric varices (EGV) were the major factors associated with TCP. Females were more prone to combine with TCP (OR=1.32, 95%CI: 1.12-1.56, P=0.001). Patients combined with EGV (OR=3.09, 95%CI: 2.63-3.65, P<0.001) were more prone to develop TCP, which was associated with the increased incidence of hypersplenism (P<0.001). Patients with PBC (OR=0.64, 95%CI: 0.50-0.82, P<0.001) and PSC (OR=0.23, 95%CI: 0.06-0.65, P=0.010) were less prone to develop TCP, which was due to the shorter prothrombin time and better coagulation function of PBC patients (P<0.001), and the lower proportion of hypersplenism in combined PSC patients (P=0.004). Patients with TCP and grade 3-4 TCP had a higher rate of hemostatic procedures (P<0.05), but a lower rate of liver biopsy (P<0.05). Patients with grade 3-4 TCP had a higher nosocomial mortality rate compared to those without (P=0.004). Conclusion: TCP is common in patients with cirrhosis. However, TCP occurrence is higher in female patients with EGV and lower in patients combined with PBC and PSC. TCP affects invasive procedures and is associated with adverse outcomes.

Online interpretable dynamic prediction models for clinically significant posthepatectomy liver failure based on machine learning algorithms: A retrospective cohort study.

Posthepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) is the leading cause of mortality in patients undergoing hepatectomy. However, practical models for accurately predicting the risk of PHLF are lacking. This study aimed to develop precise prediction models for clinically significant PHLF. A total of 226 patients undergoing hepatectomy at a single center were recruited. The study outcome was clinically significant PHLF. Five pre- and postoperative machine learning (ML) models were developed and compared with four clinical scores, namely, the MELD, FIB-4, ALBI, and APRI scores. The robustness of the developed ML models was internally validated using 5-fold cross-validation by calculating the average of the evaluation metrics and was externally validated on an independent temporal dataset, including the area under the curve (AUC) and the area under the precision‒recall curve (AUPRC). SHapley Additive exPlanations analysis was performed to interpret the best performance model. Clinically significant PHLF was observed in 23 of 226 patients (10.2%). The variables in the preoperative model included creatinine, total bilirubin, and Child‒Pugh grade. In addition to the above factors, the extent of resection was also a key variable for the postoperative model. The pre- and postoperative artificial neural network (ANN) models exhibited excellent performance, with mean AUCs of 0.766 and 0.851, respectively, and mean AUPRC values of 0.441 and 0.645, whereas the MELD, FIB-4, ALBI, and APRI scores reached AUCs of 0.714, 0.498, 0.536 and 0.551, respectively, and AUPRC values of 0.204, 0.111, 0.128 and 0.163, respectively. In addition, the AUCs of the pre- and postoperative ANN models were 0.720 and 0.731, respectively, and the AUPRC values were 0.380 and 0.408, respectively, on the temporal dataset. Our online interpretable dynamic ML models outperformed common clinical scores and could function as a clinical decision support tool to identify patients at high risk of PHLF pre- and postoperatively.

Prognostic Efficacy of the Albumin-Bilirubin Score and Treatment Outcomes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Large-Scale, Multi-Center Real-World Database Study

&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Introduction:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally, with treatment outcomes closely tied to liver function. This study evaluates the prognostic utility of the albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score compared to the traditional Child-Pugh (CP) grading, leveraging real-world evidence from a large-scale, multi-center database. &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Methods:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; The Liver Cancer IN Korea (LINK) research network, a multi-center initiative, retrospectively collected electronic health records from three academic hospitals in South Korea, encompassing HCC patients diagnosed between 2015 and 2020. Inclusion criteria mandated at least one HCC treatment and excluded patients with other primary cancer diagnoses. The study followed patients until death, the last visit, or June 2021, employing standardized data processing and rule-based algorithms for data consistency. The prognostic efficacy of ALBI scores and CP scores was compared through time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the inverse probability censoring weighting method. &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Results:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; From 25,248 newly diagnosed patients, 10,297 were included, with 65.82% having hepatitis B etiology and a mean follow-up of 27.49 months. Patients’ classification by modified ALBI (mALBI) grade at diagnosis revealed: grade 1 (48.87%), 2a (20.50%), 2b (24.54%), and 3 (5.17%), with a minimal percentage missing (0.92%). Transarterial therapy (54.07%) and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (84.14% as the first-line systemic therapy) were predominant treatments. The ALBI score demonstrated greater prognostic efficacy than the CP score in long-term outcomes, with time-dependent area under the ROC curve analysis showing a score of 0.71 for ALBI versus 0.67 for CP at 60 months. Furthermore, higher mALBI grades were significantly associated with poorer survival outcomes, as indicated by both univariate and multivariate Cox proportional regression model analyses (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &amp;lt; 0.001). &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Conclusions:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; The study confirmed the ALBI score’s superior prognostic ability over the CP score, especially evident in long-term outcomes, suggesting a shift toward more nuanced liver function assessment tools in real-world clinical practice.

Correlation between diameter of esophageal varices and early rebleeding following endoscopic variceal ligation: a multicenter retrospective study based on artificial intelligence-based endoscopic virtual rule.

Bleeding following endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) may occur as a result of numerous factors, including a diameter of esophageal varices (EV) that is too large to be completely ligated. The present study aimed to develop an artificial intelligence-based endoscopic virtual ruler (EVR) to measure the diameter of EV with a view to finding more suitable cases for EVL. The present study was a multicenter retrospective study that included a total of 1,062 EVLs in 727 patients with liver cirrhosis with EV, who underwent EVL from April 2016 to March 2023. Patients were divided into early rebleeding (n = 80) and non-rebleeding groups (n = 982) according to whether postoperative bleeding occurred at 6 weeks. The characteristics of patient baseline data, the status of rebleeding at 6 weeks after surgery and the survival status at 6 weeks after rebleeding were analyzed. The early rebleeding rate following 1,062 EVL procedures was 7.5%, and the mortality rate at 6 weeks after bleeding was 16.5%. Results of the one-way binary logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the risk factors for early rebleeding following EVL included: high TB (P = 0.009), low Alb (P = 0.001), high PT (P = 0.004), PVT (P = 0.026), HCC (P = 0.018), high Child-Pugh score (P < 0.001), Child-Pugh grade C(P < 0.001), high MELD score(P = 0.004), Japanese variceal grade F3 (P < 0.001), diameter of EV (P < 0.001), and number of ligature rings (P = 0.029). Results of the multifactorial binary logistic regression analysis demonstrated that Child-Pugh grade C (P = 0.007), Japanese variceal grade F3 (P = 0.009), and diameter of EV (P < 0.001) may exhibit potential in predicting early rebleeding following EVL. ROC analysis demonstrated that the area under curve (AUC) for EV diameter was 0.848, and the AUC for Japanese variceal grade was 0.635, which was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Thus, results of the present study demonstrated that EV diameter was more optimal in predicting early rebleeding following EVL than Japanese variceal grade criteria. The cut-off value of EV diameter was calculated to be 1.35 cm (sensitivity, 70.0%; specificity, 89.2%). If the diameter of EV is ≥1.4 cm, there may be a high risk of early rebleeding following EVL surgery; thus, we recommend caution with EVL.

Stratifying risk of failure to achieve textbook outcomes among patients undergoing hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma: A multicenter score validation study

Background and aimsThe concept of textbook outcomes (TOs) has gained increased attention as a critical metric to assess the quality and success of outcomes following complex surgery. A simple yet effective scoring system was developed and validated to predict risk of not achieving textbook outcomes (non-TOs) following hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MethodsUsing a multicenter prospectively collected database, risk factors associated with non-TO among patients who underwent hepatectomy for HCC were identified. A predictive scoring system based on factors identified from multivariate regression analysis was used to risk stratify patients relative to non-TO. The score was developed using 70 % of the overall cohort and validated in the remaining 30 %. ResultsAmong 3681 patients, 1458 (39.6 %) failied to experience a TO. Based on the derivation cohort, obesity, American Society of Anaesthesiologists score(ASA score), Child-Pugh grade, tumor size, and extent of hepatectomy were identified as independent predictors of non-TO. The scoring system ranged from 0 to 10 points. Patients were categorized into low (0–3 points), intermediate (4–6 points), and high risk (7–10 points) of non-TO. In the validation cohort, the predicted risk of developing non-TOs was 39.0 %, which closely matched the observed risk of 39.9 %. There were no differences among the predicted and observed risks within the different risk categories. ConclusionsA novel scoring system was able to predict risk of non-TO accurately following hepatectomy for HCC. The score may enable early identification of individuals at risk of adverse outcomes and inform surgical decision-making, and quality improvement initiatives.

Second-line systematic strategy options for the progression of lenvatinib plus tislelizumab treating unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: A retrospective study.

e16135 Background: Lenvatinib plus Tislelizumab (LEN+TIS) is a first-line systemic treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC) in the real world, however, most uHCC ultimately fail to respond to first-line therapy due to tumor progression or intolerable adverse effects. The progression-free survival (PFS) of Lenvatinib was approximately 8 months in both REFLECT and LEA-002 studies. Therefore, there were doubts about the second-line therapy after progressive disease (PD) of LEN+TIS, and no studies hade reported the specific switching mode. Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of the first-line treatment of uHCC with LEN+TIS in National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital &amp; Shenzhen Hospital from April 2019 to December 2023. According to the actual use of drugs, Group A changed Lenvatinib to Regorafenib while Tislelizumab was not changed after PD of LEN+TIS; Group B replaced with Regorafenib plus other immune checkpoint inhibitors (including PD-1, PDL-1) after PD of LEN+TIS. The initial dose of Regorafenib was 80 to 160 mg, which could be adjusted according to patient tolerability, with Regorafenib administered orally once daily for the first 3 weeks, every 4 weeks as a cycle; Tislelizumab given 200mg intravenously every 3 weeks. Both group A and B were subdivided into two subgroups based on whether PFS of LEN+TIS had been more than 8 months. Short- and long-term outcomes were assessed by two independent radiologists according to mRESCIST criteria, all statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20. Results: After rigorous screening, a total of 446 samples were recruited in this study, including 208 in group A and 238 in group B. The baseline characteristics were comparable between the two groups, all patients were Child-Pugh grade A, and the median follow-up time was 9.8 months. Group A had higher objective response rates (ORR: 31.2%vs26.9%), PFS (7.6vs6.1months), and median overall survival (mOS: 12.8vs11.2months). Subgroup analysis showed that patients in group A who had first-line PFS shorter than 8 months had a better treatment effect than those with first-line PFS longer than 8 months (ORR: 36.9%vs17.7%; DCR:69.2%vs46.8%;PFS: 8.7vs 5.1months; OS: 14.4vs8.9months; P&lt;0.05); patients in group B who were treated with first-line systemic PFS shorter than 8 months was worse than that with first-line PFS longer than 8 months (ORR:12.2%vs38.6%; DCR:45.3%vs68.9%;PFS:5.6vs6.4months;OS:9.1vs12.6months; P&lt;0.05). No new adverse events were observed, no treatment-related deaths occurred in either group. Conclusions: If the PFS of LEN+TIS was shorter than 8 months, Lenvatinib should be changed to Regorafenib, Tislelizumab could be not changed. And if the PFS of LEN+TIS was longer than 8 months, Lenvatinib and Tislelizumab should be changed at the same time, which seemed to achieve better results.

Tislelizumab plus intensity modulated radiotherapy in resectable hepatocellular carcinoma with macrovascular invasion: A prospective, single-arm, phase II trial.

4118 Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients (pts) with macrovascular invasion (MVI) have dismal prognosis, and limited evidence for perioperative therapies is available. This study aims to explore the safety and feasibility of perioperative tislelizumab (a PD-1 monoclonal antibody) plus intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for resectable HCC with MVI. Methods: This single-arm phase II trial enrolled resectable HCC pts with MVI, as assessed by the investigators before surgery. Pts were treatment-naïve, with ECOG of 0-1, and had adequate organ and bone marrow function. Eligible pts received 3 cycles of tislelizumab (200mg, d1, Q3W) and concurrent IMRT (45 Gray in 15 fractions). After surgical feasibility assessment, HCC resection is scheduled after IMRT, followed by adjuvant tislelizumab up to one year. The primary endpoints include overall response rate (ORR) and overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints are significant pathological response (viable tumor cells &lt;10%), recurrence-free survival (RFS) and safety. Results: From Oct 21, 2020 to Feb 15, 2023, 30 pts were enrolled, with most pts 26 (86.7%) were males and 29 pts (96.7%) had HBV infection. 28 pts (93.3%) had Child-Pugh grade A and 29 pts (96.7%) had ECOG PS 0. The types of vascular invasion were main portal vein (n=9), branched portal vein (n=15), major hepatic vein (n=2), or both portal and hepatic vein (n=4). In 30 pts, ORR was 30.0% (RECIST1.1), DCR was 36.6% and the median OS was 18.7 months. 15 (50%) underwent radical surgical resection followed by adjuvant tislelizumab, 10 (66.7%) achieved a significant pathological response. By Sep 30, 2023, median RFS was not reached with a median follow-up of 21.77 months (95% CI 12.50-31.03) post-surgery. Of the pts who underwent surgery, 7 (46.7%) pts experienced tumor relapse with 1-year RFS rate was 60%. The most common events of any grade were increased thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) (83.3%), leukopenia (60.0%) and anemia (53.3%). 4 (13.3%) pts experienced grade 3 TRAEs (leukopenia, increased TSH and increased alkaline phosphatase).An exploratory analysis suggests that pts who underwent surgery have longer median OS (not reached versus 7.0 months, p=0.025). AFP reduction after perioperative therapy was found to be prognostic of RFS. Conclusions: The effectiveness and tolerability of tislelizumab plus radiotherapy as perioperative therapy for resectable HCC with MVI is worth further exploration. Clinical trial information: ChiCTR2000036385.

Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (A+B) as first-line systemic therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC): A multi-institution analysis of patient outcomes based on Child Pugh (CP) and ALBI liver function.

4099 Background: A+B is standard of care for advanced HCC in the first line setting, although was only evaluated in patients with CP class A liver function in IMbrave150. We sought to determine outcomes of patients in the real-world setting. Methods: We conducted a multi-institution retrospective analysis of patients with HCC who received A+B as first-line systemic therapy between March 2018 and November 2023, at Mayo Clinic and University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center. Treatment response was evaluated, and progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were determined using the Kaplan Meier method. Multivariate analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazard regression method. Results: Among patients with HCC (n=322), 226, 86, and 10 had CP-A, -B, and -C liver function, while 120, 177, and 25 had ALBI grade 1, 2, and 3 liver function. Median age was 66.5 years, 78.6% were male, and 82.6% were white. Liver disease causes included hepatitis B (5.3%) and C (34.8%), ethanol use (26.1%), and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (15.5%). Macrovascular invasion was seen in 42.9%, and 30.4% had extrahepatic metastatic disease. Median OS for patients with CP-A5/6 was 21.6 months, B7 (n=49) was 9.1 months, and B8-C12 was 4.7 months ( p&lt;0.0001). Median OS by ALBI grade was 34.9, 11.7, and 4.7 months for grades 1, 2, and 3. Median PFS was 8.9, 6.4, and 2.7 months for CP-A5/6, B7, and B8-C12 ( p&lt;0.0001). Median PFS by ALBI grade was 11.0, 6.4, and 3.7 months for grades 1, 2, and 3 ( p=0.0001). Among patients with CP-A, those with ALBI grade 1 had mOS of 34.9 months versus 14.2 months for those with grade 2. Partial response was seen in 29.2%, 19.8% and 10.0% of patients with CP-A, -B, and -C, while 32.7%, 33.7%, and 40.0% had stable disease. In a univariate analysis, factors predictive of shorter OS included CP-B7 or CP-B8-C12, ALBI grade 2 or 3, hepatitis B, poorer ECOG performance status (PS), macrovascular invasion, non-white race, and lack of prior surgery or embolization. In multivariate analyses, CP score, ALBI grade, hepatitis B, ECOG PS, and macrovascular invasion were significantly associated with survival. There was significant interaction between CP and ALBI grade (Table). Conclusions: A+B remains a viable option in patients with CP-B7 liver function, although benefit is significantly less than those with CP-A. ALBI score has predictive value and can identify two prognostic groups among those with CP-A liver function. [Table: see text]

The impact of MELD exception points for hydrothorax on posttransplant mortality: a propensity score-matched analysis.

Hepatic hydrothorax is a challenging complication of end-stage liver disease, and.patients with this complication can receive model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) exception points if they meet specific criteria as defined by United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). This research aimed to analyze the effect of receiving MELD exception points for hepatic hydrothorax on posttransplant mortality, using a national transplant database. Patients >18 years in the UNOS database awaiting liver transplant between 2012 and 2023 were identified based on their petition for MELD exception points. Using a 1: 1 propensity score-matched analysis, 302 patients who received MELD exception points for hepatic hydrothorax were compared with 302 patients who did not receive MELD exception points.Demographic, clinical and laboratory values were compared. The primary outcome was posttransplant mortality. Multivariate logistic regression controlled for potential confounders. No significant difference was observed in mean age (58.20 vs 57.62 years), mean initial MELD score (16.93 vs 16.54), or mean Child-Pugh score (9.77 vs 9.74) in patients with hepatic hydrothorax receiving MELD exception points versus their matched cohort who did not recieve exception points. The proportion of males was slightly higher among patients who received MELD exception points (57.6% males vs 53.6% males). A majority of patients in both groups had Child-Pugh grade C (>56%). Patients receiving MELD exception points for hepatic hydrothorax had a statistically significant 44% decrease in the odds of posttransplant death compared to those who did not (OR 0.56; 95% CI 0.37-0.88; P = 0.01). Among the combined cohort, each year increase in age resulted in a 3.9% increase in mortality (OR 1.04; 95% CI 1.01-1.07; P = 0.005), and every one-unit increase in serum creatinine resulted in a 40% increase in mortality (OR 1.40; 95% CI 1.03-1.92; P = 0.03). Receiving MELD exception points for hepatic hydrothorax is associated with a significant reduction in the odds of posttransplant mortality. These findings underscore the importance of MELD exception points for hepatic hydrothorax among patients with decompensated cirrhosis, potentially improving patient prioritization for liver transplantation and influencing clinical decision-making.