Outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma presenting with variceal bleeding

OBJECTIVE: Variceal bleeding is an important manifestation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, little has been documented in the literature regarding the outcomes of HCC patients presenting with variceal bleeding. This study evaluated the clinical characteristics, management, and outcomes of this specific group of patients. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database comprising 2,928 HCC patients managed from January 1989 to December 2002 identified 78 patients who had presented with variceal bleeding. Their clinical outcomes were compared to those patients who did not present with variceal bleeding, and a multivariate analysis was performed to identify prognostic factors for their survival. RESULTS: HCC patients who presented with variceal bleeding had more severe cirrhosis than those who did not, with a significantly higher serum bilirubin level, lower albumin level, lower platelet count, and longer prothrombin time. They had significantly smaller HCCs but more frequent portal vein thrombosis. There was a significant difference in the overall survival between HCC patients who presented with variceal bleeding and those who did not (median 3.5 months vs 7.5 months, p < 0.001). In the variceal bleeding group, by multivariate analysis, treatment with transarterial chemoembolization was the only significant independent prognostic factor for survival (odds ratio 17.16, 95% CI: 2.81-104.91, p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: HCC patients who presented with variceal bleeding can be expected to have a significantly worse survival outcome than the general HCC patients. However, transarterial chemoembolization may offer some survival benefit to a selected group of HCC patients presenting with variceal bleeding.