title: Risk factors for residual tumor after resection of hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the clinicopathological risk factors correlated with residual tumor in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients after resection.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2001 to April 2007, 766 HCC patients who had undergone resection were included in this research. Lipiodol angiography was performed within 2 mo after surgery and followed by post-Lipiodol computed tomography (CT) 4 wk later for all 766 patients to monitor tumor in the remnant liver. Tumor detected within the first 3-mo postoperative period was defined as residual tumor. Patients were divided into 2 groups: disease or disease-free within the first 3 mo after surgery. Risk factors for residual tumor were investigated among various clinicopathological variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 63 (8.22%) patients were found to have residual tumor after surgery. Three independent factors associated with residual tumor were identified by multivariate analysis: preoperative serum α -fetoprotein (AFP) level [odds ratio (OR) = 1.68 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.20-2.36)], tumor size [OR = 1.73 (95% CI: 1.29-2.31)] and microvascular invasion [OR = 1.91 (95% CI: 1.12-3.24)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Residual tumor is related to AFP level, tumor size and microvascular invasion. Patients at high risk should undergo closer follow-up and could be candidates for multimodality therapy.
authors.affiliation: Liver Cancer Institute and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 20032, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Bo-Heng
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xin
authors.forename: Zheng-Gang
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Shuang-Jian
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual / Q000473:pathology*; D012372:ROC Curve; D012307:Risk Factors