[Prognostic factors for survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after radiofrequency ablation]

Currently there is no consensus on which staging system is the best in predicting the survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to identify independent factors to predict survival and to compare 4 available prognostic staging systems in patients with early HCC after radiofrequency ablation.

We retrospectively studied 100 Korean patients with early HCC. Prognostic factors for survival were analysed by univariate and multivariate analysis using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard regression models. Okuda, Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (CLIP), TNM and Japanese integrated staging score (JIS score) were evaluated before the treatments.

Overall survival rates of 12, 24 and 36 months were 89%, 76%, and 64% respectively and the mean survival duration was 45 months. Multivariable analysis showed that albumin, total bilirubin and size of tumor were independent prognostic factors. Multivariate analysis showed that TNM and JIS score staging systems were significant staging systems for the prediction of prognosis.

Both TNM and JIS score are more effective than the Okuda and CLIP staging systems in stratifying patients into different risk groups with early HCC. However, JIS score gives better prediction of prognosis in patients with HCC after radiofrequency ablation.