Nodules Less Than 20 mm and Vascular Invasion are Predictors of Survival in Small Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUNDThe aims of this study were to analyze the overall survival of patients with cirrhosis and small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and identify independent pretreatment predictors of survival in Brazil. METHODSBetween 1998 and 2003, 74 patients with cirrhosis and small HCC were evaluated. Predictors of survival were identified using the Kaplan-Meier survival curves and the Cox model. RESULTSThe overall survival rates were 80%, 41%, and 17% at 12, 36, and 60 months, respectively. The mean length of follow-up after HCC diagnosis was 23 months (median 22 mo, range1 to 86 mo) for the entire group. Univariate analysis showed that model for endstage liver disease (MELD) score (P=0.016), Child-Pugh classification (P=0.007), α-fetoprotein level (P=0.006), number of nodules (P=0.041), tumor diameter (P=0.009), and vascular invasion (P