Prognosis and recurrence of spontaneously ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma treated after hepatectomy: A single institution experience

Spontaneously ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (srHCC) is a life-threatening disease. The prognosis of patients with srHCC after hepatectomy remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the prognosis and recurrence after hepatectomy in patients with srHCC. From 2015 to 2020, a retrospective analysis of patients with srHCC who underwent hepatectomy was performed, and compared with patients with unruptured HCC. Among the 86 patients with HCC who underwent hepatectomy, 11 had srHCC. The median tumor size in the ruptured group was significantly larger than that in the unruptured group (P = .001). The incidence rate of vascular invasion and Glisson capsule invasion in the ruptured group was significantly higher than that in the unruptured group. (P = .012 and P < .001, respectively). The American Joint Committee on Cancer was significantly higher in the ruptured group than in the unruptured group (P < .001). In total, 8 (73%) patients in the ruptured group experienced recurrence, whereas the median recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) periods in the ruptured group were 15 (11-32) and 23 (17-38) months, respectively. In the unruptured group, 34 (45%) patients experienced recurrence, and the median RFS and OS periods were 20 (8-37, P = .099) and 33 (12-51, P = .394) months, respectively. Patients who developed peritoneal metastases were included in the ruptured group (n = 3). Ruptured HCCs exhibit worse oncological outcomes have poorer survival and higher recurrence rates than unruptured HCCs.