Long-term results of surgical treatment in patients with intermediate stage (BCLC B) hepatocellular carcinoma: a single-center retrospective study

Introduction. The appropriateness of liver resection in patients with intermediate stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) according to Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC stage B, BCLC B) is a subject of debate.Aim. Aim of the study is an analysis of long-term treatment results in patients with HCC BCLC B who underwent liver resection.Materials and methods. The retrospective analysis included patients with HCC BCLC B who underwent liver resection at the N. N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology in the period from 2000 to 2022. The incidence of postoperative complications and mortality, overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), as well as factors influencing these indicators, were assessed.Results. Clinical data from 110 patients were analyzed. The overall incidence of postoperative complications was 29.1 % (n = 32), the incidence of clinically significant complications was 9 % (n = 10), and postoperative mortality was 2.7 % (n = 3). The median follow-up was 36 months. Three-year OS was 57.1 %, median OS was 76.4 months. Three-year PFS was 31.3 %, median PFS was 13.3 months. In a multivariate analysis, a low degree of tumor differentiation was a factor that negatively affected OS (odds ratio 2.323, 95 % confidence interval 1.162–4.644, p = 0.017) and PFS (odds ratio 2.257, 95 % confidence interval 1.304–3.906, p = 0.004).Conclusion. Liver resection may improve long-term treatment outcomes in a selected group of patients with HCC BCLC B.