title: Predicting Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence and Survival.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Beta blockers can inhibit tumor growth and metastases, while necroinflammation can enhance these tumor properties. The aim of this study was to determine whether beta blockers and necroinflammatory disease predict tumor recurrence and/or overall survival following potentially curative therapeutic interventions for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical records of 36 adults with non-metastatic HCC who had undergone surgical resections and/or radiofrequency ablation (RFA) were retrospectively reviewed. In addition to post-intervention beta blocker usage and serum alanine aminotransferase levels greater than 2xULN, other variables commonly associated with recurrences such as number and size of tumors, state of differentiation and vascular invasion were included in univariate and multivariate analyses for recurrence and survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vascular invasion (OR 29.3, 95% CI 2.6-33.6) and surgical resection (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.04-0.90) emerged from univariate (p = 0.003 and 0.03 respectively) and multivariate (p = 0.005 and 0.048 respectively) regression as predictors of tumor recurrence whereas beta blocker usage (OR 0.03, 95% CL 0.04-0.9, p = 0.03) and tumor recurrence (OR 6.7, 95% CI 1.6-28.1, p = 0.026) correlated with overall mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neither beta blocker usage nor serum ALT levels predict HCC recurrences, but beta blocker usage is associated with improved overall survival following potentially curative therapeutic interventions for HCC in adults.
authors.forename: Dorothy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Signy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Holmes
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Uhanova
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lipschitz
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McKay
authors.forename: Minuk Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Gerald
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000401:mortality; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D015415:Biomarkers; D000410:Alanine Transaminase