title: Hepatocellular carcinoma. Prognostic factors and survival analysis in 135 Italian patients.
abstract: This is a retrospective study to evaluate the history of hepatocellular carcinoma and find the relationship between clinical, biochemical and ultrasonographic features and survival in Italian patients. In 135 consecutive patients median follow-up was 16 months (range 1-66 months) and median survival from the time of diagnosis was 12 months. Univariate analysis showed that individual variables associated with significantly decreased survival included: absence of therapy, Okuda's Stage III, Child-Pugh's Class C, alpha-fetoprotein greater than 400 ng/ml, presence of symptoms, moderate or severe ascites, tumor involving both lobes, mixed internal echo pattern, and multinodular or massive type. Multiple regression analysis (Cox model) revealed that the mixed internal echo pattern of hepatocellular carcinoma, the presence of moderate or severe ascites and Okuda's Stage III were independent predictors of high risk of death. These data can help in selecting patients whose probability of survival is considered high enough to undergo treatment and may be useful for stratifying patients in randomized controlled trials.
authors.affiliation: Divisione di Medicina Generale e Gastroenterologia, Ospedale G.B. Morgagni-L. Pierantoni, Forli, Italy.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Rosellini
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Arienti
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nanni
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ugenti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tassinari
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Camporesi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boriani
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Versari
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Amadori
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate