Surveillance for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Does the Place Where Ultrasound Is Performed Impact Its Effectiveness?

Background: Biannual ultrasound (US) is recommended as the clinical screening tool for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The effectiveness of surveillance according to the place where US is performed has not been previously reported. Aims: To compare the effectiveness of US performed in the center responsible for follow-up as opposed to US proceeding from centers other than that of follow-up. Methods: This is a multicenter cohort study from Argentina. The last US was categorized as done in the same center or done in a different center from the institution of the patient’s follow-up. Surveillance failure was defined as HCC diagnosis not meeting Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stages 0-A or when no nodules were observed at HCC diagnosis. Results: From 533 patients with HCC, 62.4% were under routine surveillance with a surveillance failure of 38.8%. After adjusting for a propensity score matching, BCLC stage and lead-time survival bias, surveillance was associated with a significant survival benefit [HR of 0.51 (CI 0.38; 0.69)]. Among patients under routine surveillance (n = 345), last US was performed in the same center in 51.6% and in a different center in 48.4%. Similar rates of surveillance failure were observed between US done in the same or in a different center (32% vs. 26.3%; P = 0.25). Survival was not significantly different between both surveillance modalities [HR 0.79 (CI 0.53; 1.20)]. Conclusions: Routine surveillance for HCC in the daily practice improved survival either when performed in the same center or in a different center from that of patient’s follow-up.Fil: Piñero, Federico. Universidad Austral. Hospital Universitario Austral; ArgentinaFil: Rubinstein, Fernando Adrian. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; ArgentinaFil: Marciano, Sebastián. Hospital Italiano; ArgentinaFil: Fernández, Nora. Hospital Británico de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Silva, Jorge. Hospital G Rawson; ArgentinaFil: Zambelo, Yanina. Provincia de Santa Fe. Ministerio de Salud y Medio Ambiente - Rosario. Hospital Provincial del Centenario; ArgentinaFil: Anders, Margarita. Hospital Aleman; ArgentinaFil: Zerega, Alina. Hospital Privado de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Ridruejo, Ezequiel. Universidad Austral. Hospital Universitario Austral; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. CEMIC-CONICET. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno". CEMIC-CONICET; ArgentinaFil: Miguez, Carlos. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital de Gastroenterología "Dr. Carlos B. Udaondo"; ArgentinaFil: Ameigeiras, Beatriz. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Ramos Mejía"; ArgentinaFil: D'Amico, Claudia. Provincia de Santa Fe. Municipalidad de Rosario. Secretaría de Salud. Centro de Especialidades Médicas Ambulatorias de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Gaite, Luis. Clínica de Nefrología; ArgentinaFil: Bermúdez, Carla. Hospital Italiano; ArgentinaFil: Rosales, Carlos. Hospital G Rawson; ArgentinaFil: Romero, Gustavo. Hospital Udaondo; ArgentinaFil: Mc Cormack, Lucas. Hospital Alemán; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Reggiardo, Virginia. Provincia de Santa Fe. Municipalidad de Rosario. Secretaría de Salud. Centro de Especialidades Médicas Ambulatorias de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Colombato, Luis. Hospital Británico de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Gadano, Adrián Carlos. Hospital Italiano; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Silva, Marcelo. Universidad Austral. Hospital Universitario Austral; Argentin

Adherence to Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer therapeutic algorithm for hepatocellular carcinoma in the daily practice: A multicenter cohort study from Argentina

Background and aim Adherence to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging algorithm for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma is challenging in the daily practice. We aimed to analyze adherence to BCLC along with its effect on patient survival. Patients and methods A cohort study was conducted in 14 hospitals from Argentina including patients with newly diagnosed hepatocellular carcinoma (2009-2016). Adherence was considered when the first treatment was the one recommended by the BCLC. Results Overall, 708 patients were included. At diagnosis, BCLC stages were as follows: stage 0 4%, A 43%, B 22%, C 9% and D 22%. Overall, 53% of the patients were treated according to BCLC, 24% were undertreated, and 23% overtreated. Adherence to BCLC increased to 63% in subsequent treatments. Independent factors associated with adherence to BCLC were the presence of portal hypertension [odds ratio: 1.63; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.11-2.39] and BCLC stage C (odds ratio: 0.32; 95% CI: 0.12-0.72). In a multivariable model adjusting for portal hypertension and BCLC stages, adherence to BCLC showed improved survival (hazard ratio: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.52-0.87). Conclusion Adherence to BCLC represents a challenge in the daily practice, with almost half of the patients being treated accordingly, showing that the decision-making process should be tailored to each individual patient.Fil: Piñero, Federico. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. CEMIC-CONICET. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno". CEMIC-CONICET.; ArgentinaFil: Marciano, Sebastian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. CEMIC-CONICET. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno". CEMIC-CONICET.; ArgentinaFil: Fernández, Nora. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. CEMIC-CONICET. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno". CEMIC-CONICET.; ArgentinaFil: Silva, Jorge. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. CEMIC-CONICET. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno". CEMIC-CONICET.; ArgentinaFil: Zambelo, Yanina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. CEMIC-CONICET. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno". CEMIC-CONICET.; ArgentinaFil: Cobos, Manuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. CEMIC-CONICET. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno". CEMIC-CONICET.; ArgentinaFil: Zerega, Alina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. CEMIC-CONICET. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno". CEMIC-CONICET.; ArgentinaFil: Ridruejo, Ezequiel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. CEMIC-CONICET. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno". CEMIC-CONICET.; ArgentinaFil: Miguez, Carlos.Fil: Ameigeiras, Beatriz.Fil: D'amico, Claudia Alejandra.Fil: Gaite, Luis.Fil: Coronel, Matías.Fil: Bermúdez, Carla.Fil: Rosales, Carlos.Fil: Romero, Gustavo.Fil: Mc Cormack, Lucas.Fil: Reggiardo, Virginia.Fil: Colombato, Luis.Fil: Gadano, Adrián Carlos.Fil: Rubinstein, Fernando Adrian.Fil: Silva, Marcelo