Metformin does not improve survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Table 2 Survival of patients newly diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma, categorized according to demographics, etiologies of liver disease, stage, diabetes status and metformin use

	Number of deaths/total	Median survival (mo)	1-yr Kaplan-meier estimate (95%CI)	Unadjusted HR (95%CI)	P value	Adjusted HR (95%CI)	P value
Male	314/511	25.2	61.8% (57.7-66.3)	1.1 (0.9-1.3)	0.54	1.0 (0.8-1.3)	0.73
Age, per 10 yr	-	-	-	1.2 (1.1-1.3)	< 0.001	1.2 (1.1-1.3)	< 0.001
Caucasian	329/537	24.6	64.6% (60.6-68.9)	0.9 (0.8-1.1)	0.36
Etiology of liver disease
Hepatitis C	127/234	29	65.6% (59.7-72.1)	0.8 (0.6-0.9)	0.0095
Hepatitis B	30/60	30.2	58.1% (46.3-72.8)	0.9 (0.6-1.3)	0.52
Alcoholic liver disease	126/198	19.8	60.8% (54.3-68.1)	1.0 (0.8-1.3)	0.75
NAFLD	64/102	29.4	67.6% (58.8-77.7)	1.0 (reference)	0.98
BCLC stage
0/A	39/109	> 97.3	88.4% (82.5-94.8)	1.0 (reference)	< 0.001	1.0 (reference)	< 0.001
B	32/62	41.0	70.0% (59.3-82.7)	1.9 (1.2-3.1)	0.005	2.0 (1.2-3.1)	0.005
C	205/284	15.2	50.1% (44.5-56.4)	3.8 (2.7-5.4)	< 0.001	3.7 (2.6-5.2)	< 0.001
D	32/59	30.6	58.9% (47.2-73.5)	2.4 (1.5-3.8)	< 0.001	2.5 (1.6-4.0)	< 0.001
Diabetes
metformin status
Non-diabetic	257/438	27.3	61.4% (56.9-66.3)	1.0 (0.7-1.4)	0.98	1.1 (0.7-1.7)	0.59
Continue metformin	37/56	34.2	60.6% (48.8-75.4)	0.9 (0.7-1.1)	0.30	1.0 (0.8-1.3)	0.77
No metformin or	133/207	25.5	65.5% (59.2-72.4)	1.0 (reference)	0.52	1.0 (reference)	0.86
Discontinue within 90 d
In patients with NAFLD
Non-diabetic	11/25	46.7	79.5% (64.9-97.3)	0.4 (0.2-0.7)	0.005
Continue metformin	7/14	36.5	65.7% (43.1-100.0)	0.6 (0.3-1.4)	0.24
No metformin or discontinue within 90 d	46/63	16.3	63.0% (51.8-76.7)	1.0 (reference)	0.01

BCLC: Barcelona-Clınic Liver Cancer; NAFLD: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.