title: Early recurrence after curative resection in oligonodular hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Often patients experience an unexpected early recurrence after hepatectomy for multinodular HCC. We conducted this retrospective study to observe the recurrence rate within 1 year after hepatectomy for oligonodular HCC (2 or 3 nodules) and investigate the risk factors for early recurrence.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population consisted of 102 patients with 2 or 3 HCCs that received curative resection between January 2009 and December 2009. Clinicopathological data were collected and subjected to univariate and multivariate analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-three (42.2%) patients were diagnosed as with recurrence within 1 year after hepatectomy. According to univariate analysis, the risk factors for early recurrence were alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) >200 ng/mL, microvascular involvement and lack of complete tumor capsule; microvascular involvement was an independent predictive factor for early recurrence by multivariate analysis (HR, 4.02; 95% CI, 1.42-11.39, p=0.009).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a high rate of early recurrence for patients with oligonodular HCC (2 or 3 nodules) after hepatectomy. Microvascular involvement was an independent predictive factor for early recurrence, and adjuvant therapy, such as TACE, may be considered for those patients af
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatic Surgery I, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jianjun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Caifeng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xianghua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Mengchao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yiqun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies