Hepatocellular Carcinoma Associated with Membranous Obstruction of the Inferior Vena Cava: Incidence, Characteristics, and Risk Factors and Clinical Efficacy of TACE

To analyze the characteristics associated with membranous obstruction of the inferior vena cava (MOVC)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to evaluate the clinical efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). This retrospective study was approved by an institutional review board, and informed consent was waived. Ninety-eight patients (mean age, 48.5 years +/- 12.9 [standard deviation]) with MOVC were retrospectively evaluated. The diagnosis of Budd-Chiari syndrome was confirmed with results from Doppler ultrasonography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and/or inferior venacavography. The cumulative incidences of HCC and the patient survival period were calculated by using the Kaplan-Meier method. Factors associated with the development of HCC were evaluated by using multivariate Cox regression analysis. Among 98 patients with MOVC, liver nodules were detected in 37 patients (38%), 23 of whom had HCC associated with MOVC and 14 of whom had benign nodules. The cumulative incidence of HCC at 1, 5, and 10 years was 7.3%, 13.5%, and 31.8%, respectively. Female sex was the only significant factor associated with the development of HCC (odds ratio, 6.02; P