Ethanol injection is highly effective for hepatocellular carcinoma smaller than 2 cm

Table 1 Clinical and biochemical risk factors influencing overall survival n (%)

Variables	Median (Interquartile range)	P value at Log-Rank1	Cox regression2
Pre-PEI
Age (yr)	67 (61-72)	0.640	-
Male gender	109 (73.6)	0.640	-
HCV Pos	114 (77.0)	0.615	-
HBsAg Pos.	25 (16.9)	0.624	-
Child B	18	0.329	-
AST (IU/L)	66.5 (44.5-89.5)	0.794	-
ALT (IU/L)	64 (41.5-106.5)	0.877	-
TAP	79 (69-86)	0.248	-
Tot. Bilirubin	1.0 (0.80-1.45)	0.438	-
Albumin	3.6 (3.3-3.9)	0.116	-
PLT	100 (76.5-139.5)	0.342	-
AFP	11.1 (6-31)	0.330	-
Ascites	15 (10.1)	0.108	-
Portal thrombosis	6 (4.1)	0.133	-
Size < 2 cm	47 (31.8)	0.009	0.421 (0.216-0.821), P = 0.011
Post-PEI
Portal invasion	14 (9.5)	0.003	-
Local recurrence	56 (37.8)	0.210	-
Distance recurrence	61 (41.2)	0.003	-
Global recurrence	86 (58.1)	0.180	-

Hepatocellular carcinoma size: 25, 5 (20-34).

¹P value at Log-Rank: Univariate: Results are expressed as P level at Log-Rank (Mentel-Cox);

²Cox Regression: Results are expressed as HR (95% CI) and P level at Cox Regression analysis (backward wald). HCV: Hepatitis C virus; AFP: α-fetoprotein; PEI: Percutaneous ethanol injection; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; PLT: Platelets.

Table 2 Cumulative survival and disease free survival rates

Months	Overall survival		Disease free survival
	%	n	%	n
0		148		148
6	100	147	89.2	132
12	95.8	135	71.0	99
24	86.7	99	48.5	51
36	73.4	66	33.5	27
48	64.1	42	32.1	23
60	55.9	33	24.1	9
Median (95% CI)	78 (54.38-101.62)		24 (16.90-31.09)