Post-resection recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic patients: Is thrombocytopenia a risk factor for...

Liver resection is the main treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with sufficient liver reserve. However, the long-term outcomes are dismal because the recurrence rate is high, especially in cirrhotic patients. The role of platelets as a predictive factor for HCC recurrence is still controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of the preoperative platelet count on HCC recurrence after liver resection in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Between 2004 and 2013, 233 HCC patients with pathologically proven liver cirrhosis underwent liver resection and were enrolled in this study.

Recurrence occurred in 125 patients (53.6%), predominantly within the remnant liver (100 patients, 42.9%). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 71.4%, 48.1%, and 40.5%, respectively. The predictive factors for DFS were analyzed with Cox's proportional hazard regression model. In the multivariable analysis, the preoperative platelet count (p = 0.021) and pT stage (p = 0.01) were the only significant independent predictors of HCC recurrence. The recurrence rate was clearly stratified by the preoperative platelet count. The optimal cut-off value of 135 × 10³/μL on a receiver operating characteristic curve corresponded to the maximum sensitivity and specificity of prediction. The DFS of patients with low preoperative platelet counts was significantly worse than that of patients with high preoperative platelet counts (p = 0.006, log-rank test).

Thrombocytopenia is a significant predictor of HCC recurrence after liver resection in cirrhotic patients. However, the pathophysiological mechanism underlying this finding requires clarification.