Cancer Management and Research (Jan 2020)

Correlation Analysis Between Preoperative Serum Iron Level and Prognosis as Well as Recurrence of HCC After Radical Resection

  • Li Y,
  • Xu W,
  • Chen P,
  • Liao M,
  • Qin W,
  • Liao W,
  • Huang Z

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 12
pp. 31 – 41

Abstract

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Yicheng Li,1,2,* Wentao Xu,1,* Pu Chen,1,* Minjun Liao,1,3 Wanying Qin,1 Weijia Liao,1 Zhaoquan Huang1,4 1Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541001, Guangxi, People’s Republic of China; 2Second Clinical Medical College, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, People’s Republic of China; 3Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Pathology, Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541001, Guangxi, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Weijia LiaoLaboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541001, Guangxi, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail [email protected] HuangDepartment of Pathology, Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541001, Guangxi, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail [email protected]: The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the relationship between serum iron levels and the prognosis and risk of recurrence in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods: A total of 253 HCC patients who underwent radical resection were involved in this study.Results: According to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the optimal cut-off value for preoperative serum iron in the assessment of HCC postoperative prognosis was 94 ug/dL. The overall survival (OS) of patients in the high iron group was significantly better than that in the low iron group (p < 0.001). The recurrence rate of patients in the low iron group was higher than that in the high iron group (p = 0.011). Correlation analysis showed that preoperative serum iron level was correlated with tumor size >5 cm (χ2 = 11.590, p < 0.001), recurrence (χ2 = 5.714, p = 0.017) and microvascular invasion (χ2 = 5.087, p = 0.024). In addition, univariate analysis showed that OS and disease-free survival (DFS) of HCC patients with high iron level were better than those with low iron level. Furthermore, multivariate COX proportional hazards regression analysis showed that serum iron ≤94 μg/dL, tumor size >5 cm, and microvascular invasion were independent predictors for shorter OS and DFS in HCC patients after operation, while recurrence was for shorter OS.Conclusion: Patients with low preoperative serum iron level had worse postoperative survival and higher recurrence rate in HCC. Preoperative serum iron is an independent predictor of HCC patients. For HCC patients with low iron levels, prognosis of patients may be improved if appropriate iron is supplemented.Keywords: HCC, serum iron, prognosis, recurrence, survival rate

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