文摘
Purpose To find a subgroup that benefits most from transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in terms of tumor number and size and liver profile in patients with intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and methods Data of 325 intermediate-stage HCC patients who received TACE as the initial treatment were gathered. Four tumor numbers (3- tumors) and five maximum tumor diameters (3-?cm) as well as all of their combinations but one (3 tumors and 3?cm) and Child–Pugh grade were used as variables to ascertain prognostic factors. Results The respective 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates in all patients were 86.5, 47.0, and 23.7?%, respectively. Tumor numbers of 4 (P?=?0.00145) and 5 (P?=?0.036), and tumor size of 7?cm (P?=?0.015), and 12 other combinations of tumor number and size, and Child–Pugh grade (P?=?0.0015) were identified as significant prognostic factors in univariate analysis, and 4 tumors of 7?cm (P?=?0.0008) and Child–Pugh grade (P?=?0.0036) remained significant in the stepwise Cox proportional hazard model. The overall survival was significantly better in a patient subgroup having two factors other than patient subgroups having one or no prognostic factors. Conclusion A patient subgroup having two prognostic factors benefited most from TACE in intermediate-stage HCC patients.