Predictors of Immediate Deterioration of the Child-Pugh Classification From A to B After Transcatheter Arterial Chemo-Embolization for Treatment-Naive Hepatocellular Carcinoma

AimThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the predictors of deterioration of the Child-Pugh classification 1 month after transcatheter arterial chemo-embolization (TACE) in patients with treatment-naive hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).MethodsBetween 2010 and 2020, consecutive patients who underwent conventional TACE using epirubicin as the initial treatment were enrolled. Patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage-0, A or B and Child-Pugh class A were included. The Child-Pugh score was evaluated before treatment and 1 month after TACE. The following variables were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses as predictors of deterioration of the Child-Pugh class from A to B: age, sex, etiology, serum albumin, bilirubin, prothrombin time (PT), encephalopathy, ascites, largest tumor diameter, tumor number, tumor location, alpha-fetoprotein, protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II, epirubicin dosage, ethiodized oil dosage, and number of treated liver segments.ResultsA total of 152 patients were retrospectively enrolled. The deterioration rate of the Child-Pugh class from A to B was 8.6%. Multivariable analysis showed that serum albumin <= 3.8 g/dL, PT <= 80%, and largest tumor diameter >= 3.8 cm were predictors of deterioration of the Child-Pugh class. The deterioration rate to Child-Pugh class B was 0% in patients with up to one of these factors, 14.3% in those with two factors, and 70% in those with three factors.ConclusionsA combination of serum albumin <= 3.8 g/dL, PT <= 80%, and largest tumor diameter >= 3.8 cm can predict the immediate deterioration of the Child-Pugh classification from A to B following TACE.