Retrospective Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2020. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Feb 14, 2020; 26(6): 657-669
Published online Feb 14, 2020. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v26.i6.657
Validation and evaluation of clinical prediction systems for first and repeated transarterial chemoembolization in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: A Chinese multicenter retrospective study
Zhe-Xuan Wang, En-Xin Wang, Wei Bai, Dong-Dong Xia, Wei Mu, Jing Li, Qiao-Yi Yang, Ming Huang, Guo-Hui Xu, Jun-Hui Sun, Hai-Liang Li, Hui Zhao, Jian-Bing Wu, Shu-Fa Yang, Jia-Ping Li, Zi-Xiang Li, Chun-Qing Zhang, Xiao-Li Zhu, Yan-Bo Zheng, Qiu-He Wang, Jing Li, Jie Yuan, Xiao-Mei Li, Jing Niu, Zhan-Xin Yin, Jie-Lai Xia, Dai-Ming Fan, Guo-Hong Han, on behalf of China HCC-TACE Study Group
Zhe-Xuan Wang, En-Xin Wang, Wei Bai, Dong-Dong Xia, Jing Li, Qiao-Yi Yang, Qiu-He Wang, Jing Li, Jie Yuan, Xiao-Mei Li, Jing Niu, Zhan-Xin Yin, Dai-Ming Fan, Guo-Hong Han, Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
Wei Mu, Department of Radiology, the Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037, China
Jing Li, Jing Li, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037, China
Ming Huang, Department of Minimally Invasive International Therapy, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University, Tumor Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming 650000, Yunnan Province, China
Guo-Hui Xu, Department of Interventional Radiology, Tumor Hospital of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 610000, Sichuan Province, China
Jun-Hui Sun, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Interventional Cancer, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
Hai-Liang Li, Department of Interventional Radiology, Henan Cancer Hospital, the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450008, Henan Province, China
Hui Zhao, Department of Interventional Radiology, the Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu Province, China
Jian-Bing Wu, Department of Oncology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330000, Jiangxi Province, China
Shu-Fa Yang, Department of Interventional Radiology, the Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi 830001, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China
Jia-Ping Li, Department of Interventional Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong Province, China
Zi-Xiang Li, Department of Interventional Medical Center, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, Shandong Province, China
Chun-Qing Zhang, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shandong Province Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan 250021, Shandong Province, China
Xiao-Li Zhu, Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu Province, China
Yan-Bo Zheng, Department of Interventional Radiology, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai 264000, Shandong Province, China
Jie-Lai Xia, Department of Health Statistics, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Xi’an 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
Author contributions: Wang ZX and Wang EX contributed equally to this work; Wang ZX, Wang EX and Han GH designed the research; Wang ZX, Wang EX, Xia DD and Bai W performed the research and collected data; Wang ZX, Wang EX analyzed the data; Xia DD and Xia JL contributed to statistical support; Wang ZX, Wang EX, Xia DD, Bai W, Mu W, Li J, Yang QY, Huang M, Xu GH, Sun JH, Li HL, Zhao H, Wu JB, Yang SF, Li JP, Li ZX, Zhang CQ, Zhu XL, Zheng YB, Wang QH, Li J, Yuan J, Li XM, Niu J, Yin ZX, Xia JL, Fan DM and Han GH contributed to administrative, technical, or material support; Wang ZX, Wang EX and Han GH wrote the paper.
Institutional review board statement: The study protocol was reviewed and approved by the institutional Ethics Committees of the First Affiliated Hospital of the Fourth Military Medical University.
Informed consent statement: Patients were not required to give informed consent for this study because the analysis used anonymous clinical data that were obtained after each patient agreed to treatment by written consent.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Guo-Hong Han, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, 15 West Changle Road, Xi’an 710032, Shaanxi Province, China. hangh@fmmu.edu.cn
Received: November 19, 2019
Peer-review started: November 19, 2019
First decision: December 7, 2019
Revised: January 8, 2020
Accepted: January 15, 2020
Article in press: January 15, 2020
Published online: February 14, 2020
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
Research background

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the most commonly used treatment in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the treatment outcome for such patients varies greatly. Apart from the differences in TACE techniques, the heterogeneity of liver dysfunction, tumor burden and other relevant factors should be carefully considered.

Research motivation

Previously, several prognostic systems have been proposed for risk stratification and clinical decision-making in first TACE and repeated TACE (re-TACE). Nevertheless, it is unknown which model has the highest predictive ability and should be chosen in clinical practice.

Research objectives

In this nationwide multicenter study, we aimed to validate the existing prognostic models for TACE treatment, compare their predictive abilities for overall survival, and finally identify the optimal scoring systems for first TACE and re-TACE in HCC patients.

Research methods

The prognostic values of the Hepatoma Arterial-embolization Prognostic (HAP) scoring system and its modified versions (mHAP, mHAP2 and mHAP3), as well as the six-and-twelve criteria were compared in 1107 unresectable HCC patients treated with at least one session of TACE, while the same analyses were conducted in 912 patients receiving re-TACE to evaluate the ART (assessment for re-treatment with TACE) and ABCR (alpha-fetoprotein, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer, Child-Pugh and Response) systems for post re-TACE survival (PRTS).

Research results

With regard to the initial TACE treatment, six-and-twelve criteria had the highest correlation and consistency with radiological response and the mHAP3 criteria had the optimal discrimination value for overall survival. For re-TACE therapy, the ABCR score significantly identified patients with improved PRTS, while the ART system failed to do so. Finally, combining mHAP3 and ABCR systems could discriminate candidates suitable for TACE with improved outcomes compared with non-candidates.

Research conclusions

The results from this study suggest that there is high heterogeneity in patients with unresectable HCC and receiving TACE treatment. The six-and-twelve criteria were closely correlated with radiological response, mHAP3 and ABCR were reliable prognostic systems for first TACE and re-TACE. The sequential combination of these systems would facilitate risk stratification and outcome prediction.

Research perspectives

This study clearly highlights the need for risk stratification of unresectable HCC patients treated with TACE. Comparing the prognostic abilities among the existing scoring systems, we recommend the combined use of mHAP3 and ABCR for survival prediction of HCC patients receiving TACE for the first time, which would not only refine the prognostic stratification but also facilitate individual management. Therefore, future studies focusing on external validations in a large population are necessary.