Prognostic value of liver function in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatic resection

Objective To evaluate the prognostic value of liver function in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatic resection.Methods A retrospective study was carried out in 234 patients after hepatic resection for HCC(214 men and 20 women),form January 1991 to June 2002 at Southwest Hospital.Survival rate was analyzed by using the actuarial life-table method.Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests were used to compare survival rate of our patients with different liver function.Results Kaplan-Meier log-rank analysis revealed that gamma-glutamyl transferase(GGT)(χ~(2)=13.44,P=0.000 2),alkaline phosphates (ALP)(χ~(2)=7.56,P=0.006 0),total bilirubin(TBIL)(χ~(2)=16.73,P0.001),liver cirrhosis(χ~(2)=6.19,P=0.012 9),Child-Pugh classification(χ~(2)=26.19,P0.001) were significant predictors in patients with HCC after hepatic resection,but alanine aminotransferase(ALT)(χ~(2)=0.388 1,P=0.388 1),aspartate aminotransferase(AST)(χ~(2)=0.89,P=0.344 3) and albumin(ALB)(χ~(2)=0.87,P=0.352 0) were not significant prognostic factors.Conclusion Impaired liver function affects the long-term survival in HCC after hepatic resection.Significant prognostic factors were GGT,ALP,TBIL,liver cirrhosis and Child-Pugh classification.