title: Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients May Benefit From Postoperative Huaier Aqueous Extract After Liver Transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Liver transplantation has been the first choice for most early- or intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases. However, postoperative anti-HCC therapies remain controversial. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Huaier aqueous extract (Jinke), when used as an adjuvant postoperative anti-HCC therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively collected the clinical and follow-up data of HCC patients who underwent liver transplantation at our center. We divided them into 2 groups: a control liver transplantation group and a Huaier treatment group. The baseline characteristics, tumor characteristics, intraoperative data, postoperative recovery, long-term overall survival rate, and tumor-free survival rate were compared between the 2 groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-three patients were included in our study, including 28 patients who underwent postoperative Huaier therapy and 25 patients who underwent liver transplantation without postoperative Huaier therapy. The baseline and tumor characteristics were similar between the 2 groups. None of the patients in the Huaier group experienced any severe adverse events. The long-term predictive overall survival was similar between the 2 groups (P = .202). However, the Huaier group had a higher predictive tumor-free survival rate than the control group (P = .029). And the 10- and 30-month predictive tumor recurrence rates were 17.9% and 35.7% in the Huaier group, which were significantly lower than those in the control group (60% and 64%; P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HCC patients may benefit from Huaier therapy after liver transplantation, but a longer follow-up time and larger cohort study may be necessary to be sure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery, General Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China; Department of Liver Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.affiliation: Department of Liver Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: eijianyong11@163.com.
authors.forename: L N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery, General Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: J Q
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Liver Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: W T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010936:Plant Extracts