title: Validation of the hepatoma arterial embolization prognostic score in European and Asian populations and proposed modification.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is used to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but it is a challenge to predict patient survival. The hepatic arterial embolization prognostic (HAP) score has been shown to predict which patients will have shorter survival times and should not undergo TACE. We aimed to validate this scoring system in a prospective study of patients in Europe and Asia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated the prognostic accuracy of the HAP score in estimating overall survival (OS) of 126 patients with HCC who received TACE in the United Kingdom or Italy (training set) from 2001 through 2013. We also analyzed data from 723 patients treated in Korea and Japan (validation set), including 79 with newly diagnosed HCC, who underwent TACE in Korea or Japan from 2004 through 2013. Response to TACE was determined based on computed tomography analysis. OS was calculated from the time of the first TACE until death or the last follow-up evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  OS was associated with hypoalbuminemia, α-fetoprotein level greater than 400 ng/mL, and tumor size greater than 7 cm at diagnosis (P < .01), but not a bilirubin level greater than 17 umol/L (P > .05), in both data sets. The lack of association between OS and bilirubin level was confirmed using receiver operating characteristic analysis. We developed a modified version of the HAP score, based on the level of albumin and α-fetoprotein and tumor size, which predicted OS with increased accuracy in the training and validation cohorts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a multicenter validation study, we developed a modified version of the HAP that predicts survival of patients with HCC treated with TACE in Europe and Asia. This system might be used to identify patients with HCC most likely to benefit from TACE in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Division of Experimental Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Pinato
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kinki University School of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Tadaaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arizumi
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Università degli Studi di Torino, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Allara
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale "A. Avogadro", Novara, Italy; Interdisciplinary Research Center of Autoimmune Diseases, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale "A. Avogadro", Novara, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Smirne
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young Woon
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kinki University School of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kudo
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale "A. Avogadro", Novara, Italy; Interdisciplinary Research Center of Autoimmune Diseases, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale "A. Avogadro", Novara, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pirisi
authors.affiliation: Division of Experimental Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: r.sharma@imperial.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Rohini
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001208:Asia; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D015510:Clinical Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: AUROC; Hepatic; Liver Cancer; Outcome; Therapy