Hepatic steatosis correlates with the postoperative recurrence of hepatitis C virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Hepatic steatosis is a prominent feature of chronic hepatitis C. Hepatic steatosis was reported recently to be a risk factor for hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).


OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether hepatic steatosis influences the postoperative recurrence of HCV-associated HCC.


METHODS
A retrospective study was conducted in 88 patients undergoing curative resection of HCV-associated HCC. Cumulative tumour recurrence rates were compared between steatosis-positive and steatosis-negative patients, and the factors affecting intrahepatic recurrence were assessed.


RESULTS
The respective tumour recurrence rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 19%, 76%, and 92% in the steatosis-positive group, and 12%, 52%, and 60% in the steatosis-negative group. The tumour recurrence rate of the steatosis-positive group was significantly higher than that of the steatosis-negative group (P=0.02). Hepatic steatosis [relative risk (RR)=3.31, 95% confidence intervals (CIs)=1.49-7.41, P=0.003], stage of fibrosis (RR=3.17, 95% CI=1.35-7.47, P=0.008), surgical procedure (RR=0.22, 95% CI=0.076-0.64, P=0.005), number of tumours (RR=5.24, 95% CI=1.63-16.80, P=0.005), size of the largest tumour (RR=3.52, 95% CI=1.28-9.69, P=0.02), and vascular invasion (RR=2.72, 95% CI=1.32-5.59, P=0.007) were independent factors for tumour recurrence rate by multivariate analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Hepatic steatosis is a useful predictor of postoperative recurrence of HCV-related HCC.
Takuma
Yoshitaka
Y
Department of Internal Medicine, National Hospital Organization Iwakuni Clinical Center, Yamaguchi, Japan. kakuma@enjoy.ne.jp
Nouso
Kazuhiro
K
Makino
Yasuhiro
Y
Saito
Shunsuke
S
Takayama
Hiroki
H
Takahara
Masahiro
M
Takahashi
Hideaki
H
Murakami
Ichiro
I
Takeuchi
Hitoshi
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies