Stepwise psychological intervention: Mitigated psychological distress and suicide risk in patients with liver cancer chemoembolization

Table 1 Comparison of baseline characteristics between the two groups, n (%)/mean ± SD

Variable	Control group (n = 49)	Observation group (n = 49)	χ²/t value	P value
Age (years)	56.72 ± 8.21	55.95 ± 7.82	0.475	0.636
Sex			0.234	0.628
Male	37 (75.51)	39 (79.59)
Female	12 (24.49)	10 (20.41)
Disease duration (months)	6.23 ± 2.11	5.91 ± 2.36	0.708	0.481
Child–Pugh classification			0.192	0.661
Grade A	34 (69.39)	36 (73.41)
Grade B	15 (30.61)	13 (26.53)
CNLC stage			0.057	0.972
Stage IIb	14 (28.57)	15 (30.61)
Stage IIIa	23 (46.94)	22 (44.90)
Stage IIIb	12 (24.49)	12 (24.49)
ECOG score			0.049	0.825
0-1 point	33 (67.35)	34 (69.39)
2 points	16 (32.65)	15 (30.61)
Number of tumors			0.172	0.678
Single lesion	20 (40.82)	18 (36.73)
Multiple lesions	29 (59.18)	31 (63.27)
Maximum tumor diameter			0.172	0.678
< 5 cm	18 (36.73)	20 (40.82)
≥ 5 cm	31 (63.27)	29 (59.18)
Portal vein tumor thrombus			0.186	0.667
Present	15 (30.61)	17 (34.69)
Absent	34 (69.39)	32 (65.31)
Distant metastasis			0.272	0.602
Present	8 (16.33)	10 (20.41)
Absent	41 (83.67)	39 (79.59)
Type of targeted therapy			0.169	0.681
Sorafenib	21 (42.86)	19 (38.78)
Lenvatinib	28 (57.14)	30 (61.22)
Previous history of TACE			0.046	0.831
Yes	17 (34.69)	16 (32.65)
No	32 (65.31)	33 (67.35)

TACE: Transarterial chemoembolization; ECOG: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group; CNLC: China liver cancer.