Effect of HBsAg expression in liver tissue on prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma after minimally invasive interventional therapy

Biyu Liu; Qi Wang; Tingting Mei; Jiasheng Zheng; Wenfeng Gao; Chunwang Yuan; Kang Li; Yonghong Zhang

doi:10.3389/fonc.2023.1106333

Effect of HBsAg expression in liver tissue on prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma after minimally invasive interventional therapy

Front Oncol. 2023 Mar 9:13:1106333. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1106333. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Biyu Liu¹, Qi Wang¹, Tingting Mei¹, Jiasheng Zheng², Wenfeng Gao², Chunwang Yuan², Kang Li¹, Yonghong Zhang²

Affiliations

¹ Research Center For Biomedical Resources, Beijing You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
² Interventional Therapy Center For Oncology, Beijing You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between pathologic markers and prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who received transcatheter chemoembolization combined with locoregional ablation therapy.

Methods: This retrospective study included 111 hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). All patients underwent transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with locoregional ablation therapy, and received core needle biopsy before therapy in Beijing You 'an Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2016. Demographic, pathological indicators and clinical laboratory data were collected. The cumulative recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated and compared by Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test, and Cox proportional risk model was used to screen for independent predictors of recurrence and long-term prognosis in HCC patients.

Results: There was a correlation between HBsAg expression in liver tissue and prognosis of HCC patients. Patients with negative HBsAg expression had longer 1-,3- and 5-year RFS rates than positive HBsAg expression (78.3%, 43.5%, 30.4% and 58.5%, 24.5%, 17.0%, P=0.018). Meanwhile,the postoperative 1-,3-and 5-year OS rates of HCC patients in the negative HBsAg expression group were significantly higher than those of HCC patients in the positive HBsAg expression group (100%, 89.1%, 80.4% and 100%, 75.5%, 58.5%, P=0.008).

Conclusions: The prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma with negative HBsAg expression was better than that with positive HBsAg expression. Accordingly, the expression of the liver HBsAg before combined therapy was a prognostic indicator for OS and RFS. For patients with liver HBsAg positive, follow-up should be strengthened and corresponding intervention measures should be taken to improve prognosis.

Keywords: HBsAg; hepatocellular carcinoma; interventional therapy; pathology; prognosis.

Grants and funding

This study was funded by a grant Beijing Municipal Natural Science Foundation (7191004), Capital health development project (2020-1-2182 and 2020-2-1153), Beijing Key Laboratory (BZ0373), Key medical professional development plan of Beijing municipal administration of hospitals (ZYLX201711), and Beijing Municipal Administration of Hospitals’ Incubating Program (PX2018059).