Clinicopathologic features and outcome after liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with concurrent versus previous chronic hepatitis B

Purpose. We compared the clinicopathologic features affecting outcome after surgery for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) between patients with concurrent and previous chronic hepatitis B. Methods. Group A consisted of 58 patients with concurrent chronic hepatitis B, defined by seropositivity for the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and group B consisted of 18 patients whose HCC was detected after disappearance of the HBsAg. We assessed the influence of various characteristics on outcome. Results. The mean age and percentage of patients suffering from alcohol abuse or diabetes mellitus were significantly greater in group B than in group A, whereas histologic hepatitis activity, hepatic fibrosis, and alanine aminotransferase activity were significantly lower in group B than in group A. The tumor-free survival rates were similar between the two groups, but the risk factors of recurrence differed. In group A, relative youth, high aspartate aminotransferase activity, low platelet count, multiple tumors, large tumor size, portal invasion, cirrhosis, nonanatomic resection, and positive surgical margin were risk factors. In group B, large tumor size and poor differentiation were risk factors. Conclusion. Hepatitis B status, tumor factors, and the type of operation affected cancer recurrence after surgery for HCC in patients with concurrent chronic HBV, as opposed to only tumor factors in patients with previous chronic hepatitis B.