Table 1 Patient characteristics

Number of patients

27

38

19

Age in years, average ± SD

61.0 ± 10.1

54.8 ± 14.9

62.8 ± 12.5

NS

0.049

NS

Gender (Male/Female)

21/6

31/7

16/3

NS

NS

NS

Etiology

   HBsAg (+)

19 (70.4%)

27 (71.1%)

10 (52.6%)

NS

NS

NS

   Anti-HCV (+)

9 (33.3%)

11 (28.9%)

5 (26.3%)

NS

NS

NS

   HBsAg (+)/anti-HCV (+)

1

1

0

-

-

   HBsAg (-)/anti-HCV (-)

0

1

4

-

-

Alcoholism

11 (40.7%)

21 (55.3%)

7 (36.8%)

NS

NS

NS

ECOG performance status

NS^a

NS^a

NS^a

   0

9

19

7

   1

12

10

6

   2

6

9

6

Diagnosis

-

-

-

   Biopsy

5

10

4

   Cytology

9

9

0

   Imaging + alpha-fetoprotein

13

19

15

Liver cirrhosis

27 (100%)

36 (94.7%)

17 (89.5%)

NS

NS

NS

Tumor size in cm, average ± SD

6.62 ± 3.81

7.99 ± 4.55

8.71 ± 3.42

NS

NS

NS

Alpha-fetoprotein in ng/mL, median (range)

448 (3-62208)

2338 (3-248421)

1491 (3 - 377218)

NS

NS

NS

Portal vein thrombosis

15 (55.6%)

22 (59.5%)

13 (68.4%)

NS

NS

NS

Metastasis

19 (70.4%)

19 (50%)

10 (52.6%)

NS

NS

NS

   Lymph node

10

10

4

   Lung

8

10

7

   Bone

1

2

1

   Duodenum

1

0

0

   Adrenal gland

1

0

0

   Kidney

0

1

0

   Heart

0

1

0

   Inferior vena cava

0

1

0

Child-Pugh stage

   A

16 (59.3%)

22 (57.9%)

10 (52.6%)

NS

NS

NS

   B

11

16

9

Bilirubin in mg/dL, average ± SD

1.44 ± 0.88

2.66 ± 5.20^b

2.86 ± 2.36^c

0.006

NS

NS

Previous therapy

18 (66.7%)

18 (47.4%)

No

-

-

NS

   Percutaneous local ablation

3

2

   TACE

15

13

   Partial hepatectomy

3

3

   Radiotherapy

1

3

Course of FMP chemotherapy received

   1

9 (33.3%)

25 (65.8%)

0

-

-

0.018

   2

11

9

0

   3

2

2

0

   >3

3

1

0