Objective: To evaluate the prognostic significance of serum GGT in patients with hepatitis C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCV-HCC) treated with transcatheeter arterial chemoembolization (TACE).
Methods: The clinicopathological data of 110 patients with hepatitis C virus-related stage B hepatocellular carcinoma, who received TACE treatment from January 2008 to May 2011, were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups: the normal GCT group (GGT<50 U/L, 41 cases) and high GCT group (GGT≥50 U/L, 69 cases). The Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the survival rates, log-rank test was used for univariate analysis, and Cox regression model was used for multivariate analysis. The factors affecting survival and prognosis of the patients were analyzed.
Results: The pretreatment GGT level was (160.0±120.2) U/L in the high GGT group and (40.1±8.5) U/L in the normal GGT group (P<0.001). After TACE treatment, the 1-, 2- and 3-year survival rates were 90.2%, 45.9% and 24.6% in the high GGT group, and 90.2%, 75.6% and 58.5%, respectively, in the normal GGT group (P=0.002). The univariate analysis showed that the pretreatment GGT level, ECOG score, α-fetoprotein, tumor size, tumor number, and Child grade are factors affecting the prognosis of HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma patients (P<0.05 for all). The Cox multivariate survival analysis revealed that the tumor size, tumor number, Child grade, and serum GGT level are independent prognostic factors for patients with stage B HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma.
Conclusion: The level of serum GGT before TACE is an independent prognostic factor for patients with stage B HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma.