title: Thymosin α1 therapy subsequent to radical hepatectomy in patients with hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma: A retrospective controlled study.
abstract: The clinical efficacy of thymosin α1 (Tα1) therapy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) subsequent to radical hepatectomy is unclear. In the present study, the impact of Tα1 therapy on outcomes in HCC patients after radical hepatectomy was retrospectively evaluated. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed for 146 patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated HCC who were treated by radical hepatectomy and subsequently with Tα1 therapy, as well as for 412 control patients with HBV-associated HCC treated by radical hepatectomy. Propensity score matching was used to minimize confounding variables due to baseline differences. Liver function, recurrence-free survival and overall survival rates were compared between the two groups. Serum markers of liver function were significantly improved in the Tα1 group compared with the control group. The 1-, 2- and 3-year overall survival rates were 87.2, 82.0 and 68.4% in the Tα1 group and 78.2, 64.2 and 49.7% in the control group (P=0.011). The 1-, 2- and 3-year recurrence-free survival rates were 79.7, 70.8 and 67.3% in the Tα1 group and 69.9, 61.5 and 51.6% in the control group (P=0.019). The results suggested that post-hepatectomy Tα1 therapy improves liver function and significantly prolong recurrence-free and overall survival in patients with HBV-associated HCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China; Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Qinzhou First People's Hospital, Qinzhou, Guangxi 535001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yong-Rong
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The Second People's Hospital of Jingmen, Jingmen, Hubei 448000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jing-Hang
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Bang-De
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Le-Qun
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Li
keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma; overall survival; propensity score matching; recurrence-free survival rate; thymosin α1