The preoperative globulin-to-albumin ratio, a novel inflammation-based prognostic system, predicts survival after potentially curative liver resection for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Although the globulin-to-albumin ratio (GAR) is useful for prognostication of patients with various cancers, its relationship with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. The study aims to investigate the relationship between GAR and postoperative survival among patients with HCC undergoing potentially curative liver resection (LR).

METHODS:

We retrospectively reviewed 368 patients with newly diagnosed HCC who underwent initial and potentially curative LR. Univariate and multivariate analyses using the Cox proportional hazard model were performed to detect clinical characteristics that correlated with overall survival (OS). Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test were used to compare OS and disease-free survival (DFS).

RESULTS:

The result of multivariate analysis using 25 clinical characteristics selected by univariate analysis revealed that the GAR (≥0.918/<0.918) was significantly associated with OS (hazard ratio [HR], 2.398; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.012-5.683; P = 0.047), as well as platelet count (<14/≥14, ×104 /mm3 ) and portal vein invasion (presence/absence). Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test demonstrated that the OS and DFS of patients with a high GAR (>0.918) were significantly worse than that of patients with a low GAR (≤0.918).

CONCLUSIONS:

The GAR is a useful predictor of postoperative survival among patients with HCC undergoing potentially curative LR.

• Authors: Takayuki Shimizu, Mitsuru Ishizuka, Takashi Suzuki, Genki Tanaka, Kyung Hwa Park, Takatsugu Matsumoto, Takayuki Shiraki, Yuhki Sakuraoka, Masato Kato, Taku Aoki, Keiichi Kubota
• Journal: Journal of surgical oncology (J Surg Oncol) Vol. 116 Issue 8 Pg. 1166-1175 (Dec 2017) ISSN: 1096-9098 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 28853157 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Chemical References

• Globulins
• Serum Albumin

Topics

• Aged
• Carcinoma, Hepatocellular (blood, mortality, surgery)
• Female
• Globulins (analysis)
• Hepatectomy
• Humans
• Liver Neoplasms (blood, mortality, surgery)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Prognosis
• Proportional Hazards Models
• Retrospective Studies
• Serum Albumin (analysis)