Prognostic factors for survival after transarterial chemoembolization combined with microwave ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma

Table 1 Characteristics of the patients included in this study n (%)

Characteristic	Patients
Age (yr)
≤ 40	17 (19.8)
41-50	16 (18.6)
51-60	29 (33.7)
> 60	24 (27.9)
Gender
Male	76 (88.3)
Female	10 (11.7)
BCLC stage
A	4 (4.7)
B	60 (69.7)
C	22 (25.6)
Tumor size (TS)
Small HCC (TS ≤ 3 cm)	13 (15.1)
Nodular type (3 cm < TS ≤ 5 cm)	32 (37.2)
Massive type (5 cm < TS ≤ 10 cm)	11 (12.8)
Huge type (10 cm < TS)	30 (34.9)
PVTT
None	67 (77.9)
Branch type	10 (11.6)
Trunk type	9 (10.5)
Child-Pugh class
A	62 (72.0)
B	24 (28.0)
ECOG score
0	11 (12.8)
1	45 (52.3)
≥ 2	30 (34.9)
AFP
Negative ( ≤ 20 μg/L)	31 (36.0)
Positive (> 20 μg/L)	55 (64.0)
HBsAg
Without	45 (52.3)
With	41 (47.7)
AVF
Without	68 (79.0)
With	18 (21.0)
MWA times
Once	35 (40.1)
Twice	24 (27.9)
≥ Triple	27 (32.0)
TACE times
Once	19 (22.1)
Twice	16 (18.6)
Triple	21 (24.4)
≥ Triple	30 (34.9)
Targeted drug
Without	22 (25.6)
With	64 (74.4)

TACE: Transarerial chemoembolization; MWA: Microwave ablation; BCLC: Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer; ECOG: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group; AVF: Arterio-venous fistula; TS: Tumor size; PVTT: Portal vein tumor thrombus; HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; AFP: Alpha fetal protein; HBsAg: Serum hepatitis B surface antigen.

Table 2 Univariate analysis results

Variable	Patients (n)	Median survival time (mo)	χ2	P value
BCLC stage
A	4	36 (range: 25-60)
B	60	25 (range: 3-96)
C	22	5 (range: 2-40)	29.765	0
Tumor size
Small HCC	13	50 (range: 26-63)
Nodular type	32	29 (range: 13-96)
Massive type	11	12 (range: 4-60)
Huge type	30	8 (range: 2-43)	14.999	0
PVTT
None	67	25 (range: 3-96)
Branch type	10	5 (range: 2-40)
Trunk type	9	4 (range: 3-6)	43.086	0
Child-Pugh class
A	62	30 (range: 4-96)
B	24	7 (range: 2-19)	51.820	0
ECOG score
0	11	50 (range: 30-96)
1	45	29 (range: 5-84)
≥ 2	30	8 (range: 2-32)	28.660	0
AVF
Without	68	25 (range: 3-96)
With	18	5 (range: 2-40)	29.791	0
MWA times
Once	35	14 (range: 2-60)
Twice	24	20 (range: 3-60)
≥ Triple	27	32 (range: 8-96)	12.920	0.002
Targeted drug
Without	22	6 (range: 2-60)
With	64	24 (range: 5-96)	10.901	0.001

BCLC: Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer; HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; PVTT: Portal vein tumor thrombus; ECOG: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group; AVF: Arterio-venous fistula; MWA: Microwave ablation.

Table 3 Cox proportion hazards regression multivariate analysis results

Variable	B	SE	Sig	Exp(B)	Wald	95%CI for Exp(B)
						Lower	Upper
Tumor size	1.038	0.288	0	2.824	13.039	1.608	4.962
PVTT	1.464	0.378	0	4.324	15.011	2.062	9.068
BCLC stage	0.383	0.165	0.020	1.467	5.3830	1.016	2.028
ECOG score	0.564	0.282	0.045	1.757	4.0030	1.012	3.053
MWA	-0.602	0.157	0	0.547	14.689	0.402	0.745
TD	0.670	0.213	0.001	2.107	10.203	1.335	3.143

PVTT: Portal vein tumor thrombus; BCLC: Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer; ECOG: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group; MWA: Microwave ablation; TD: Targeted drugs.