Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Unrecognized liver cirrhosis is common and associated with worse survival in hepatocellular carcinoma : A nationwide cohort study of 3473 patients

Vaz, Juan LU orcid ; Strömberg, Ulf ; Midlöv, Patrik LU orcid ; Eriksson, Berne ; Buchebner, David LU and Hagström, Hannes (2023) In Journal of Internal Medicine 293(2). p.184-199
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Data on unrecognized liver cirrhosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are derived mainly from cohorts with a risk of selection bias.

OBJECTIVES: In a population-based cohort study we aimed to determine the proportion, characteristics, and prognosis of HCC in patients with unrecognized cirrhosis.

METHODS: Using the Swedish quality register for liver cancer and other nationwide registers, we identified all adults with HCC in Sweden between 2012 and 2018 (n = 3,473).

RESULTS: The final study cohort comprised 2670 patients with established cirrhosis, of which 1033 (39%) had unrecognized cirrhosis at HCC diagnosis. These patients were more often male, older, and had larger tumors, multinodular... (More)

BACKGROUND: Data on unrecognized liver cirrhosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are derived mainly from cohorts with a risk of selection bias.

OBJECTIVES: In a population-based cohort study we aimed to determine the proportion, characteristics, and prognosis of HCC in patients with unrecognized cirrhosis.

METHODS: Using the Swedish quality register for liver cancer and other nationwide registers, we identified all adults with HCC in Sweden between 2012 and 2018 (n = 3,473).

RESULTS: The final study cohort comprised 2670 patients with established cirrhosis, of which 1033 (39%) had unrecognized cirrhosis at HCC diagnosis. These patients were more often male, older, and had larger tumors, multinodular cancer, portal vein thrombosis, and extrahepatic metastasis compared to patients with known cirrhosis with HCC and under surveillance (34%). Compared to surveilled patients, those with unrecognized cirrhosis had worse median survival (0.89 years, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.78-1.01 vs. 3.79 years, 95%CI = 3.19-4.39), and an adjusted hazard ratio of 2.36 (95%CI = 2.09-2.66). Patients with cirrhosis but not under surveillance (27%) and patients with unrecognized cirrhosis had similar characteristics, such as equal proportions diagnosed at late stage (79%).

CONCLUSIONS: Cirrhosis is often not recognized in patients with HCC. Unrecognized cirrhosis is associated with more advanced HCC at diagnosis and a worse prognosis. More efforts are needed to diagnose cirrhosis at an earlier stage. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
cirrhosis, comorbidity, etiology, hepatocellular carcinoma, prognosis, surveillance
in
Journal of Internal Medicine
volume
293
issue
2
pages
184 - 199
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:85139265491
  • pmid:36166276
  • pmid:36166276
ISSN
1365-2796
DOI
10.1111/joim.13570
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
14cc141f-f429-4d1d-9c78-3dde1bdda262
date added to LUP
2022-09-29 13:52:11
date last changed
2024-04-18 10:15:57
@article{14cc141f-f429-4d1d-9c78-3dde1bdda262,
  abstract     = {{<p>BACKGROUND: Data on unrecognized liver cirrhosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are derived mainly from cohorts with a risk of selection bias.</p><p>OBJECTIVES: In a population-based cohort study we aimed to determine the proportion, characteristics, and prognosis of HCC in patients with unrecognized cirrhosis.</p><p>METHODS: Using the Swedish quality register for liver cancer and other nationwide registers, we identified all adults with HCC in Sweden between 2012 and 2018 (n = 3,473).</p><p>RESULTS: The final study cohort comprised 2670 patients with established cirrhosis, of which 1033 (39%) had unrecognized cirrhosis at HCC diagnosis. These patients were more often male, older, and had larger tumors, multinodular cancer, portal vein thrombosis, and extrahepatic metastasis compared to patients with known cirrhosis with HCC and under surveillance (34%). Compared to surveilled patients, those with unrecognized cirrhosis had worse median survival (0.89 years, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.78-1.01 vs. 3.79 years, 95%CI = 3.19-4.39), and an adjusted hazard ratio of 2.36 (95%CI = 2.09-2.66). Patients with cirrhosis but not under surveillance (27%) and patients with unrecognized cirrhosis had similar characteristics, such as equal proportions diagnosed at late stage (79%).</p><p>CONCLUSIONS: Cirrhosis is often not recognized in patients with HCC. Unrecognized cirrhosis is associated with more advanced HCC at diagnosis and a worse prognosis. More efforts are needed to diagnose cirrhosis at an earlier stage. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.</p>}},
  author       = {{Vaz, Juan and Strömberg, Ulf and Midlöv, Patrik and Eriksson, Berne and Buchebner, David and Hagström, Hannes}},
  issn         = {{1365-2796}},
  keywords     = {{cirrhosis; comorbidity; etiology; hepatocellular carcinoma; prognosis; surveillance}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{184--199}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Journal of Internal Medicine}},
  title        = {{Unrecognized liver cirrhosis is common and associated with worse survival in hepatocellular carcinoma : A nationwide cohort study of 3473 patients}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/joim.13570}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/joim.13570}},
  volume       = {{293}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}