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Gut doi:10.1136/gut.2008.164053

Visceral Fat Accumulation Is an Independent Risk Factor of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence after Curative Treatment in NASH-suspected Patients

  1. Takamasa Ohki (anb72547{at}nifty.com)
  1. Department of Gastroenterology University of Tokyo, Japan
    1. Ryosuke Tateishi (tateishi-tky{at}umin.ac.jp)
    1. Department of Gastroenterology University of Tokyo, Japan
      1. Shuichiro Shiina
      1. Department of Gastroenterology University of Tokyo, Japan
        1. Eriko Goto (nbk02140{at}nifty.com)
        1. Department of Gastroenterology University of Tokyo, Japan
          1. Takahisa Sato (satota-int{at}h.u-tokyo.ac.jp)
          1. Department of Gastroenterology University of Tokyo, Japan
            1. Hayato Nakagawa
            1. Department of Gastroenterology University of Tokyo, Japan
              1. Ryota Masuzaki
              1. Department of Gastroenterology University of Tokyo, Japan
                1. Tadashi Goto
                1. Department of Gastroenterology University of Tokyo, Japan
                  1. Keisuke Hamamura
                  1. Department of Gastroenterology University of Tokyo, Japan
                    1. Fumihiko Kanai
                    1. Department of Gastroenterology University of Tokyo, Japan
                      1. Haruhiko Yoshida (yoshida-2im{at}h.u-tokyo.ac.jp)
                      1. Department of Gastroenterology University of Tokyo, Japan
                        1. Takao Kawabe
                        1. Department of Gastroenterology University of Tokyo, Japan
                          1. Masao Omata
                          1. Department of Gastroenterology University of Tokyo, Japan
                            • Published Online First 27 January 2009

                            Abstract

                            Background: Visceral fat accumulation reportedly increases the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in patients with chronic liver disease. However, it is not fully elucidated whether visceral fat accumulation increases the risk of HCC recurrence after curative treatment in patients with suspected non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

                            Aim: To investigate whether visceral fat accumulation is a risk factor of HCC recurrence after curative treatment in NASH-suspected patients.

                            Methods: We enrolled 62 NASH-suspected naïve HCC patients. All were curatively treated with percutaneous radiofrequency ablation between 1999 and 2006. The visceral fat area (VFA) was determined in each patient from computed tomography images, taken at the time of HCC diagnosis. Patients were divided into two groups based on VFA: the high VFA group (> 130 cm2 in male, > 90 cm2 in female, n = 27) and the others (n = 35). The effects of VFA on HCC recurrence were analyzed together with other factors including patients’ background, tumor-related factors, and liver function-related ones.

                            Results: The cumulative recurrence rates significantly differed between the two groups; 15.9%, 56.5%, and 75.1% at 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively, in the high VFA group and 9.7%, 31.1%, and 43.1% in the controls (P = 0.018). Multivariate analysis indicated visceral fat accumulation (risk ratio 1.08, per 10 cm2, P = 0.046) and older age (risk ratio 1.06 per 1 year, P = 0.04) as independent risk factors of HCC recurrence.

                            Conclusions: Visceral fat accumulation is an independent risk factor of HCC recurrence after curative treatment in NASH-suspected patients.

                            This Article

                            1. Abstract
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                            3. All versions of this article:
                              1. gut.2008.164053v1
                              2. 58/6/839most recent

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