title: Hepatic steatosis correlates with the postoperative recurrence of hepatitis C virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Hospital Organization Iwakuni Clinical Center, Yamaguchi, Japan. kakuma@enjoy.ne.jp
authors.forename: Yoshitaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takuma
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nouso
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Makino
authors.forename: Shunsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takayama
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahara
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
mesh_terms: 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