Prognostic factors for hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence

Table 1 Risk factors predicting hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after non-surgical treatments

Treatment	Risk factors	Ref.
Percutaneous ethanol injection	Tumor size > 2-3 cm	[17,21-23]
	Multinodularity	[18,19]
	Peritumoral capsule	[17,24]
Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation	Tumor size > 2-3 cm	[31,33]
	Position of nodule near large vessels or diaphragm	[31]
Transarterial chemoembolization	Multifocality	[39,40]
	Partial necrosis	[44]
	Age > 60	[39]
	Pattern of lipiodol accumulation (partial or heterogeneous)	[41,42]

Table 2 Risk factors predicting hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after surgical treatments

Treatment	Recurrence	Risk factors	Ref.
Liver resection	Early	Tumor size ≥ 5 cm	[50,51]
		High histological grade (G4)	[58-61]
		Microvascular invasion	[53]
		Resection technique	[67-70]
		Genetic profile	[123]
	Late	Stage of liver disease	[46,51]
		Multinodularity	[51]
		Age	[65]
		Gender (male)	[65]
		AST > × 2 normal values	[65]
		Genetic profile	[124]
Orthotopic liver transplant		Milan criteria	[77]
		Vascular invasion	[78]
		Bilobar nodules	[81]
		Tumor grade	[83]
		Tumor size > 5 cm	[80]
		Total number of lesions	[82]

AST: Aspartate aminotransferase.

Table 3 Morphological characteristics predicting hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence by means of imaging techniques

Imaging technique	Predictors of HCC recurrence	Ref.
US	Poorly defined margins	[33]
	Infiltrative pattern	[20,33]
	Portal infiltration	[20,33]
	Peripheral hypoechoic band	[20,33]
	Heterogeneous echo pattern	[20]
	Contrast enhancement pattern	[32,125]
CT scan	Heterogeneous enhancement pattern	[126,128]
MRI	Contrast washout pattern at dynamic MRI	[63]
	Signal pattern on hepatobiliary phase	[132]
18F-FDG PET	Maximum SUV by tumor	[129]
	Tumor SUV/non-tumoral tissue SUV ratio	[130]

HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; US: Ultrasounds; CT: Computed tomography; MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging; PET: Positron emission tomography; SUV: Standardized uptake value.