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Updated: Jun 12, 2026
Application of Hemostatic Devices in Laparoscopic Hepatectomy
Published on: April 19, 2022
Prognosis evaluation in alpha-fetoprotein negative hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatectomy: comparison of five
1Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No 277, West Yan-Ta Street, Xian, Shannxi 710061, China.
Aims:
Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) loses its potentials in treatment evaluation and prognosis prediction in patients with AFP negative (
Methods:
The data of 306 in total and 98 AFP negative patients amongst were retrospectively reviewed. The risk factors affecting survivals of the patients were identified. And various staging systems were compared, including the sixth tumor node metastasis (TNM) system, Okuda staging, Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (CLIP) score, the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system, and the Japan Integrated Staging (JIS) score.
Results:
AFP negative patients tended to have intact tumor capsule and earlier staged tumor by TNM, CLIP and BCLC. The independent risk factors worsening overall survival of AFP negative patients were absence of tumor capsule, Child-Pugh classification B, hepatitis B surface antigen positive and BCLC stage B-C. The risk factors promoting tumor recurrence were tumor size of >3 cm, distribution in two lobes, Okuda stage B-C and BCLC stage B-C.
Conclusion:
Normal AFP level implies earlier staged tumors. BCLC has the strongest potential in prognosis evaluation in AFP negative patients.
