Identification of proliferative hepatocellular carcinoma using the SMARS score and implications for microwave ablation

Bibliographic Details
Title: Identification of proliferative hepatocellular carcinoma using the SMARS score and implications for microwave ablation
Authors: Peng Zhou, Yan Bao, De-Hua Chang, Jun-Xiang Li, Tian-Zhi An, Ya-Ping Shen, Wen-Wu Cai, Lu Wen, Yu-Dong Xiao
Source: Insights into Imaging, Vol 15, Iss 1, Pp 1-12 (2024)
Publisher Information: SpringerOpen, 2024.
Publication Year: 2024
Collection: LCC:Medical physics. Medical radiology. Nuclear medicine
Subject Terms: Hepatocellular carcinoma, Microwave ablation, Imaging feature, Prognosis, Medical physics. Medical radiology. Nuclear medicine, R895-920
More Details: Abstract Objective To compare therapeutic outcomes of predicted proliferative and nonproliferative hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after microwave ablation (MWA) using a previously developed imaging-based predictive model, the SMARS score. Methods This multicenter retrospective study included consecutive 635 patients with unresectable HCC who underwent MWA between August 2013 and September 2020. Patients were stratified into predicted proliferative and nonproliferative phenotypes according to the SMARS score. Overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were compared between the predicted proliferative and nonproliferative HCCs before and after propensity score matching (PSM). OS and RFS were also compared between the two groups in subgroups of tumor size smaller than 30 mm and tumor size 30–50 mm. Results The SMARS score classified 127 and 508 patients into predicted proliferative and nonproliferative HCCs, respectively. The predicted proliferative HCCs exhibited worse RFS but equivalent OS when compared with nonproliferative HCCs before (p < 0.001 for RFS; p = 0.166 for OS) and after (p < 0.001 for RFS; p = 0.456 for OS) matching. Regarding subgroups of tumor size smaller than 30 mm (p = 0.098) and tumor size 30–50 mm (p = 0.680), the OSs were similar between the two groups. However, predicted proliferative HCCs had worse RFS compared to nonproliferative HCCs in the subgroup of tumor size 30–50 mm (p < 0.001), while the RFS did not differ in the subgroup of tumor size smaller than 30 mm (p = 0.141). Conclusion Predicted proliferative HCCs have worse RFS than nonproliferative ones after MWA, especially in tumor size larger than 30 mm. However, the phenotype of the tumor may not affect the OS. Critical relevance statement Before performing microwave ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma, the tumor phenotype should be considered because it may affect the therapeutic outcome. Key Points Proliferative hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may be identified using the SMARS score, an imaging-based predictive model. SMARS predicted proliferative HCCs have worse recurrence-free and equivalent overall survival compared to nonproliferative HCC after microwave ablation. Tumor phenotype should be considered before performing microwave ablation. Graphical Abstract
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 1869-4101
Relation: https://doaj.org/toc/1869-4101
DOI: 10.1186/s13244-024-01792-8
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/026a198f9f4b422dbcef35f85f0ddb8a
Accession Number: edsdoj.026a198f9f4b422dbcef35f85f0ddb8a
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
Full text is not displayed to guests.
More Details
ISSN:18694101
DOI:10.1186/s13244-024-01792-8
Published in:Insights into Imaging
Language:English