Age-related comparison of the profiles of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
It is not known whether the putative etiologic factors and clinical and pathological features of hepatocellular carcinoma differ between young adults and older patients. Therefore this study aims to evaluate whether the clinicopathological features in young patients with HCC significantly differ from those of elderly patients.


METHODS
A total of 1014 consecutive patients with HCC were divided into two groups based on age. Among them, 73 patients younger than 50 years of age comprised the first group and 941 patients 50 years and older made up the second. Clinical, laboratory, and pathological characteristics were compared between the two age groups.


RESULTS
The male: female ratio and the incidence of positive hepatitis B surface antigen were significantly higher in young patients than in elderly patients. Tumor size, pathological grading of the tumor, and the severity of liver disease did not differ between the two groups. Especially in those patients demonstrating positive antibody to hepatitis C virus, alanine aminotransferase was higher in the younger, and platelet count was lower. Younger patients also had a higher ratio of alcohol consumption compared to elderly patients.


CONCLUSIONS
There were age-related differences in the clinicopathological characteristics of HCC patients. Concerning hepatocarcinogenesis, male and HBsAg positive patients were at high risk in young. Of the HCV-related HCC patients, heavy drinking may accelerate the progression from chronic hepatitis to cirrhosis and HCC.
Fujishima
Tomonori
T
Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Ishikawa
Takashi
T
Shiratori
Yasushi
Y
Kanda
Miho
M
Tateishi
Ryosuke
R
Akamatsu
Masatoshi
M
Koike
Yukihiro
Y
Sato
Shinpei
S
Obi
Shuntaro
S
Hamamura
Keisuke
K
Teratani
Takuma
T
Shiina
Shuichiro
S
Yoshida
Haruhiko
H
Kawabe
Takao
T
Omata
Masao
M
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor