Gender difference in clinicopathologic features and survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Table 1 Demographic and clinical data of female and male patients with HCC at initial diagnosis

Characteristics	Female (n = 39)	Male (n = 260)	P
Age (yr)	56.4 ± 15.2	52.6 ± 13.2	NS
Underlying cirrhosis (+:-)	36:3	251:9	NS
Viral hepatitis marker
HBsAg (+:-)	18:21	147:113	NS
Anti-HCV (+:-)	5:34	23:237	NS
Heavy alcohol consumption (+:-)	3:36	83:177	0.002
Mean AFP (IU/mL)	48435.4 ± 105231.6	40221.9 ± 89147.9	NS
Biochemical liver function tests
Total bilirubin (mg/dL)	1.5 ± 1.2	3.1 ± 2.3	0.03
Alkaline phosphatase (IU/L)	451.6 ± 277.3	529.3 ± 375.0	NS
AST (IU/L)	128.4 ± 133.2	154.3 ± 135.2	NS
ALT (IU/L)	62.7 ± 52.6	87.6 ± 97.5	NS
Albumin (g/dL)	3.6 ± 0.7	3.4 ± 0.7	NS
Prothrombin time (sec)	14.5 ± 2.8	15.1 ± 9.3	NS

Quantitative variables were expressed as mean ± SD; (+:-) indicates positive:negative. NS = not significant.

Table 2 Clinicopathologic data of female and male patients with HCC at initial diagnosis

Characteristics	Female (n = 39)	Male (n = 260)	P
Mean tumor size (cm)	8.1 ± 3.9	11.6 ± 4.5	0.02
Tumor size
≤5 cm:> 5 cm	9:30	30:230	0.04
Gross appearance of HCC
Nodular:Multinodular:Massive:Diffuse	12:10:14:3	30:52:115:63	0.01
Tumor cell differentiation
Well:Moderately:Poorly	3:5:4	11:66:32	NS
Okuda’ s staging (I:II:III)	13:23:3	43:180:37	0.04
Portal or hepatic vein invasion (+:-)	6:33	84:176	0.03
Extrahepatic metastasis (+:-)	5:34	37:223	NS
Ruptured HCC (+:-)	1:38	29:231	NS
Therapy for HCC (+:-)	22:17	105:155	NS
Modality of therapy
Surgical resection (+:-)	9:30	27:233	0.02
Chemoembolization (+:-)	13:26	43:217	0.01
Systemic chemotherapy (+:-)	0:39	31:229	0.02

Quantitative variables were expressed as mean ± SD; (+:-) indicates positive:negative.

Table 3 Independent predictors influencing survival in HCC

Variables	Regression coefficient (95% CI)	P value1
AFP (> 400 IU/mL)	1.67 (1.03-2.71)	0.037
Portal or hepatic vein invasion	1.73 (1.04-2.89)	0.035
Extrahepatic metastasis	2.37 (1.30-4.37)	0.005
No therapy	2.87 (1.63-5.04)	0.0002

95% CI:95% confidence interval;

¹P value based on multiivariate Cox regression analysis