Clinical Characteristics of Non-B Non-C Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

Abstract

Background/Aims: To clarify risk factors and clinical features of both hepatitis B surface antigen and anti-HCV negative hepatocellular carcinoma (NBNC-HCC). Methods: HCC patients (n = 1,109) diagnosed at a single center were categorized based on the presence of serum hepatitis B surface antigen and HCVAb. Clinical characteristics of 127 NBNC-HCC patients were evaluated. Results: NBNC-HCC patients were stratified as those with alcoholic liver disease (ALD-HCC, n = 42) and alcohol-unrelated liver disease (non-ALD-HCC, n = 85). Compared with the ALD-HCC group, the non-ALD-HCC group had a higher prevalence of diabetes (p = 0.015), larger tumor size (p = 0.007), and higher tumor marker levels (p = 0.014). Liver function results were significantly worse in ALD-HCC than in non-ALD-HCC. Although the ALD-HCC group had a higher tendency toward recurrence than the non-ALD-HCC group, survival rates were similar between groups (p = 0.352). Conclusion: Alcohol consumption was the most common etiologic factor for NBNC-HCC, and diabetes may be related to the development of HCC in non-ALD-HCC patients. Non-ALD-HCC tended to be diagnosed at a more advanced stage, whereas liver function was worse, and tumor recurrence rate was higher in ALD-HCC patients. Further examination of the risk factors and establishment of a precise surveillance system are necessary for early diagnosis and the development of curative therapies for NBNC-HCC.

Clinicopathological characteristics of hepatitis B surface antigen-negative and hepatitis C antibody-negative hepatocellular carcinoma

“…The analysis of the characteristics of NBNC HCC indicated that the mean age, rate of complications associated with diabetes and BMI were significantly higher in these cases compared with cases of virus-related HCC, in agreement with previous reports (5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12). Patients with NBNC HCC exhibited a good liver function, although a number of patients presented with a large tumor size (6), possibly as they were not examined periodically due to the absence of hepatitis virus infection.…”

Clinicopathological characteristics of non‐B non‐C hepatocellular carcinoma without past hepatitis B virus infection

“…Several studies have described the clinicopathological features of NBNC‐HCC that included the contribution of past HBV infection . In these reports, HCC patients of various stages and treatments, such as resection, radiofrequency ablation, and transarterial chemoembolization, were enrolled, so it was difficult to compare outcomes.…”

Clinicopathological Factors Affecting Survival and Recurrence after Initial Hepatectomy in Non-B Non-C Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients with Comparison to Hepatitis B or C Virus

“…Several previous studies on prognostic factors in NBNC-HCC patients identified gender, serum albumin level, DCP, tumor size, tumor capsule, and tumor differentiation as significant independent factors for OS [6, 9, 29–31]. Therefore, in terms of OS, preoperative liver functions such as serum albumin and Child-Pugh class are important as patient-related factor and degree of tumor malignancy as tumor-related factor, showing the results similar to those in hepatitis virus-related HCC patients.…”