Pathological characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma: A dual-center correlation analysis and validation

Table 1 Baseline clinicopathological characteristics by center, n (%)

Characteristics	Center A (n = 157)	Center B (n = 66)	Test statistic	P value
Age (year), mean ± SD	56.0 ± 12.1	53.9 ± 10.0	t = 1.233	0.219
Sex (male/female)	136/21	52/14	χ2 = 2.156	0.142
Edmondson grading (low/high)	66/91	31/35	χ2 = 0.460	0.498
MVI positive	111 (70.7)	41 (62.1)	χ2 = 1.576	0.209
SN present	69 (44.0)	31 (46.9)	χ2 = 1.171	0.679
Ki-67 high expression	83 (52.9)	31 (46.9)	Z = -1.639	0.104

The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare Ki-67 expression (non-normally distributed) between centers. MVI: Microvascular invasion; SN: Satellite nodule.

Table 2 Associations between aggressive pathological features

Variables	χ2 (df)	P value	Effect size	OR (95%CI)
Ed grading × MVI status	36.667 (1)	< 0.001	Cramer’s V = 0.405	8.165 (3.888-17.145)
Ed grading × SN status	55.796	< 0.001	Cramer’s V = 0.500	9.134 (4.956-16.835)
Ed grading × Ki-67	37.347	< 0.001	Cramer’s V = 0.409	6.833 (3.557-13.129)
MVI status × SN status	55.776	< 0.001	Cramer’s V = 0.500	17.557 (7.152-43.099)
MVI status × Ki-67	31.416	< 0.001	Cramer’s V = 0.375	5.331 (2.903-9.792)
SN status × Ki-67	34.274	< 0.001	Cramer’s V = 0.392	6.036 (3.211-11.349)

Ed: Edmondson-Steiner; MVI: Microvascular invasion; SN: Satellite nodule; OR: Odds ratio; CI: Confidence interval.

Table 3 Predictive performance of Ki-67 expression

Outcome	AUC	Sensitivity	Specificity	Cutoff	Youden index
SN positive	0.792	0.640	0.813	32.5	0.453
MVI positive	0.778	0.730	0.718	27.5	0.449
Ed grading (III-IV)	0.774	0.629	0.794	32.5	0.423

AUC: Area under the curve; SN: Satellite nodule; MVI: Microvascular invasion; Ed: Edmondson-Steiner.