Clinicopathological features, post-surgical survival and prognostic indicators of elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Comprehensive data regarding elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were limited. The present study aims to widen the knowledge based on patients in China.


METHODS
Fifty-four elderly (> or =65 years) and 125 non-elderly HCC patients undergoing hepatectomy were enrolled in this retrospective study. Clinicopathological features and post-surgical survival were compared between two groups. Prognostic indicators of elderly patients were defined by uni- and multivariate analyses.


RESULTS
Contrast to non-elderly patients, the elderly presented significantly lower rates of HBsAg positivity, Child-Pugh grade A, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) marked elevation, portal vein tumour thrombosis (PVTT), satellite nodule, and intrahepatic recurrence, smaller tumour sizes, earlier TNM staging and better histological differentiation. No significant differences were found in perioperative mortality rate and post-surgical survival between two groups. PVTT and Edmondson-Steiner grading were identified as independent prognostic indicators of both overall and disease-free survival by multivariate analysis, whereas Child-Pugh grading independently affected the overall survival.


CONCLUSIONS
HCC in the elderly seemed to be less HBV-associated, less progressive and less aggressive than that in the non-elderly. Hepatectomy for the elderly could make a satisfactory prognosis and be well tolerated. Some tumour-related factors independently predict the prognosis of elderly HCC patients, and their liver function status should be further valued.
Zhou
L
L
Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100032, China. lizhou02@hotmail.com
Rui
J A
JA
Wang
S B
SB
Chen
S G
SG
Qu
Q
Q
Chi
T Y
TY
Wei
X
X
Han
K
K
Zhang
N
N
Zhao
H T
HT
D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens