Clinicopathological features of malignancy in hepatocellular carcinoma

Summary

The clinicopathological features showing the malignancy of hepatocellular carcinoma were investigated by retrospectively analyzing the postoperative prognosis after hepatic resection. The long-term prognosis was stongly affected by the existence of portal tumor invasion or intrahepatic metastasis as indicated by the following results. The 3-year cumulative survival rates were 61% and 38% for patients in portal vein tumor invasion groups (Vp0 and Vp1 (P<0.05). No patients with Vp2 or Vp3 could survive beyond 3 years after hepatic resection. Similarly, patients with intrahepatic metastasis IM0 showed a better prognosis, compared to those with IM2 or IM3 (P<0.05). In addition, the grade of tumor cell anaplasia to some extent affected the prognosis, but not the tumor growth pattern at the tumor/non-tumor boundary. The tumor growth rate, estimated by the α-fetoprotein doubling time, was not connected with venous invasion or intrahepatic metastasis, but it became shorter at the time of a recurrence. It is concluded that, from the standpoint of a long-term prognosis, the pathological features showing malignancy appear in venous invasion and intrahepatic metastasis.