Regular Alpha-Fetoprotein Tests Boost Curative Treatment and Survival for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients in an Endemic Area.

ABSTRACT: Guidelines vary on alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) testing for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) screening. This study aims to reassess AFP's role in HCC surveillance, utilizing a comprehensive, recent, nationwide cohort. Utilizing the National Health Claims Database from the Korean National Health Insurance Service, this research included data from 185,316 HCC patients registered between 2008 and 2018. Specifically, 81,520 patients diagnosed with HCC from 2008 to 2014 were analyzed. The study focused primarily on mortality and, secondarily, on the status of curative treatments. Multivariate analysis revealed that frequent AFP testing significantly impacts overall survival in HCC patients. Specifically, each additional AFP test correlated with a 6% relative improvement in survival (hazard ratio = 0.9

SUBMITTER: Oh JH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10778056 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature