title: Hepatocellular carcinoma--a clinical study.
abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma afflicts mainly Chinese Singaporeans 75/77 (97.4%), of which 71/77 (92.2%) of the patients are males. It is rare below the 3rd decade of life (1.3%), with the peak incidence occurring in the 5th to 7th decade of life (68.5%). Common presenting features are hepatomegaly (85.7%), jaundice (63.6%), and right hypochondrial pain (51.9%). Liver function tests were abnormal in 98.7%. Alpha-foetoprotein were positive in 61/77 (79.2%) of patients. Hepatitis B surface Antigen were positive in 43.75 (57.3%) of patients. Radiology and ultrasound studies demonstrated that 70.1% had lesions involving both lobes at diagnosis. Only 4/77 (5.1%) had surgical resections of the tumour. 50/65 (76.9%) died within six months of diagnosis, 11/65 (16.9%) survived for one year, 1/65 (1.5%) for 1 1/2 years, 1.65 (1.5%) for 2 years and 2/65 (3.0%) for more than 2 1/2 years; the longest survivor is still alive, at 4 1/2 years after diagnosis.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D012846:Singapore