Radiological response and inflammation scores predict tumour recurrence in patients treated with transarterial chemoembolization before liver transplantation

Table 2 Radiological and laboratory characteristics of the study population after transarterial chemoembolization procedures and tumour histopathological data n (%)

Variable	All treated patients (n = 70)
Pre-LT radiological evaluation
mRECIST overall response
Complete/partial response	24 (34.3)/26 (37.1)
Stable/progressive disease	10 (14.3)/10 (14.3)
EASL overall response
Complete/partial response	24 (34.3/25 (35.7)
Stable/progressive disease	11 (15.7)/10 (14.3)
Number of enhancing nodules [median (IQRs)]	1 (0.0-2.0)
None/single/multiple	24 (34.3)/22 (31.4)/24 (34.3)
Sum of enhancing diameters (cm) [median (IQRs)]	1.4 (0.0-3.3)
Sum of enhancing diameters > 5 cm	8 (11.4)
Diameter of the largest enhancing nodule (cm) [median (IQRs)]	1.3 (0.0-2.1)
Diameter of the largest enhancing nodule > 5 cm	1 (1.4)
Pre-LT laboratory evaluation
1AFP (ng/mL) [median (IQRs)]	13.5 (5.3-65.0)
AFP > 400 ng/mL	6 (9.1)
2AFP increase > 15 ng/mL per month	6 (10.2)
NLR [median (IQRs)]	2.6 (1.8-3.8)
NLR > 4	15 (21.4)
3NLR increase > 0.24	16 (29.6)
PLR [median (IQRs)]	62.9 (49.7-85.9)
PLR > 150	5 (7.1)
3PLR increase > 3.04	16 (29.6)
AST/ALT (UI/L) [median (IQRs)]	68 (43-100)/49 (32-76)
WBC (× 103/mmc) [median (IQRs)]	4.7 (3.7-5.8)
Tumour histopathological characteristics
Number of viable nodules [median(IQRs)]	1 (1-3)
Number of viable nodules > 3	11 (15.7)
Tumour differentiation (4Gx/G1-G2/G3-G4)	14 (20.0)/48 (68.6)/8 (11.4)
Microvascular invasion	8 (11.4)
Exceeding Milan criteria	12 (17.1)
Exceeding UCSF criteria	11 (15.7)
% of necrosis on cumulative tumour area (100/99-50/< 50)	14 (20.0)/28 (40.0)/28 (40.0)

¹The AFP value was missing in 4 patients;

²The AFP progression value was missing in 11 patients due to the lack of pre-TACE or pre-LT value;

³NLR and PLR modification was missing in 6 patients due to the lack of pre-TACE values;

⁴Tumour grading was not available in 14 patients with complete histological necrosis at the explant examination. LT: Liver transplantation; mRECIST: Modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours; EASL: European Association for the Study of the Liver; IQR: Interquartile range; AFP: Alpha-fetoprotein; NLR: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio; PLR: Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; WBC: White blood cell; USCF: University of California San Francisco.