title: Comparison of the clinical characteristics and survival between Uyghur patients with hepatitis virus-related and non-B, non-C hepatocellular carcinoma in Xinjiang, China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the clinical characteristics and prognosis between hepatitis virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma (viral HCC) and non-B, non-C HCC (NBC-HCC) among Uyghur patients in Xinjiang province, China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 01/01/2000 and 31/12/2012, 319 Uyghur HCC patients were treated at the Cancer Centre of The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University. The data for the patients were obtained from a retrospective review of the patients' medical records. A total of 18 patients were excluded from the study because of incomplete information. The patients were classified into two groups: viral HCC and NBC-HCC. The clinical characteristics and prognostic factors were statistically analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For all 301 patients, gender (P=0.000), area of residence (P=0.002), diabetes mellitus (P=0.009), BMI (P=0.000), cirrhosis (P=0.000), tumour stage (P=0.004), Child-Pugh class (P=0.000), the TBIL level (P=0.000), and the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level (P=0.000) were significantly different between the NBC-HCC and viral HCC groups. The NBC-HCC patients tended to be diagnosed at advanced stages; however, the NBC-HCC patients exhibited lower Child-Pugh scores than the viral HCC patients. In all patients examined, the 0.5-, 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 35.6%, 20.3%, 12.6% and 4.5%, respectively. No significant difference in OS was observed between the two groups (P=0.124). Cox multivariate analysis revealed that age (RR =1.539, P=0.001), TNM stage (RR =12.708, P=0.000), portal vein tumour thrombus (PVTT) (RR =2.003, P=0.000), Child-Pugh class (RR =1.715, P=0.000), and TACE + radiotherapy/RFA (RR =0.567, P=0.000) were significant independent prognostic factors for HCC patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The clinical characteristics differ between Uyghur patients with NBC-HCC and viral HCC. HCC in the Xinjiang region displays specific regional characteristics. Age, TNM stage, PVTT, Child-Pugh class and TACE + radiotherapy/RFA are significant risk factors that influence patient survival.
authors.affiliation: 1 Cancer Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi 830054, China ; 2 Key Laboratory of Infection and Cancer, Urumqi 830054, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: 1 Cancer Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi 830054, China ; 2 Key Laboratory of Infection and Cancer, Urumqi 830054, China.
authors.forename: Rui-Li
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: 1 Cancer Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi 830054, China ; 2 Key Laboratory of Infection and Cancer, Urumqi 830054, China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: 1 Cancer Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi 830054, China ; 2 Key Laboratory of Infection and Cancer, Urumqi 830054, China.
authors.forename: Aisiker
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tulahong
authors.affiliation: 1 Cancer Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi 830054, China ; 2 Key Laboratory of Infection and Cancer, Urumqi 830054, China.
authors.forename: Yue-Fen
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: 1 Cancer Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi 830054, China ; 2 Key Laboratory of Infection and Cancer, Urumqi 830054, China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: 1 Cancer Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi 830054, China ; 2 Key Laboratory of Infection and Cancer, Urumqi 830054, China.
authors.forename: Yong-Xing
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Bao
keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); Uyghur people; clinical characteristics; hepatitis virus-related HCC (viral HCC); non-B, non-C HCC (NBC-HCC)