Obesity and microvascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma
Abby B Siegel1, Shuang Wang, Judith S Jacobson
1Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, USA. aas54@columbia.edu
Background:
We hypothesized that hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with higher Body Mass Index (BMI) might have more microvascular invasion (MVI) in their tumors.
Methods:
Records from 138 consecutive patients who underwent surgery at Columbia University Medical Center from January 1, 2002 to January 9, 2008 were evaluated.
Results:
40 patients (29%) had MVI, including 14% with BMI <25, 31% with BMI = 25-30, and 40% with BMI >30 (p = .05). However, only maximum alpha-fetoprotein was significantly associated with overall mortality in a Cox model.
Conclusions:
MVI was associated with obesity. A better understanding of the mechanism of this association may lead to interventions for the treatment and prevention of HCC.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Diseases of the Liver and Gallbladder
Cirrhosis is characterized by the scarring of hepatic lobules in the liver, which are replaced by fibrous tissue, affecting the liver's normal functioning. NAFLD, on the other hand, is caused by an excessive build-up of fat in the liver, not related to...
01:24Obesity