Retrospective Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024.
World J Gastrointest Oncol. Jan 15, 2024; 16(1): 61-78
Published online Jan 15, 2024. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v16.i1.61
Table 1 The correlations between the C-reactive protein to albumin ratio and clinicopathological factors, n (%)

CAR ≤ 1.20 (n = 94)
CAR > 1.20 (n = 66)
Total (n = 160)
P value
Age (yr)0.143
    ≤ 6075 (79.8)46 (69.7)121 (75.6)
    > 6019 (20.2)20 (30.3)39 (24.4)
Gender0.045
    Male77 (81.9)57 (86.4)134 (83.8)
    Female17 (18.1)9 (13.6)26 (16.3)
Hepatitis infection0.988
    No17 (18.1)12 (18.2)29 (18.1)
    Yes77 (81.9)54 (81.8)131 (81.9)
Child-Pugh grade0.749
    A75 (79.8)54 (81.8)129 (80.6)
    B19 (21.2)12 (18.2)31 (19.4)
AFP level (ng/L)0.365
    ≤ 40058 (61.7)36 (54.5)94 (58.8)
    > 400 36 (38.3)30 (45.5)66 (41.3)
ECOG PS0.990
    030 (31.9)21 (31.8)51 (31.9)
    ≥ 164 (68.1)45 (68.2)109 (68.1)
Tumor size (cm)0.248
    ≤ 526 (27.7)13 (19.7)39 (24.4)
    > 568 (72.3)53 (80.3)121 (75.6)
Tumor number0.512
    Single18 (19.1)10 (15.2)28 (17.5)
    Multiple76 (80.9)56 (84.8)132 (82.5)
Macroscopic vascular invasion0.013
    Absent60 (63.8)29 (43.9)89 (55.6)
    Present34 (36.2)37 (56.1)71 (44.4)
Extrahepatic metastasis0.173
    Absent41 (43.6)36 (54.5)77 (48.1)
    Present53 (56.4)30 (45.5)83 (51.9)
Diabetes0.955
    No84 (89.4)59 (89.4)143 (89.4)
    Yes10 (10.6)7 (10.6)17 (10.6)
Hypertension0.455
    No81 (86.2)54 (81.8)135 (84.4)
    Yes13 (13.8)12 (18.2)25 (15.6)
Smoke0.013
    No60 (63.8)29 (43.9)89 (55.6)
    Yes34 (36.2)37 (56.1)71 (44.4)
Drink0.364
    No51 (54.3)31 (47.0)82 (51.2)
    Yes43 (45.7)35 (53.0)78 (48.8)
Cirrhosis0.191
    No40 (42.6)35 (53.0)75 (46.9)
    Yes54 (57.4)31 (47.0)85 (53.1)
Previous Ablation0.119
    No87 (92.6)56 (84.8)143 (89.4)
    Yes7 (7.4)10 (15.2)17 (10.6)
Previous TACE0.505
    No52 (55.3)40 (60.6)92 (57.)
    Yes42 (44.7)26 (39.4)68 (42.5)
Previous Surgery0.701
    No57 (60.6)42 (63.6)99 (61.9)
    Yes37 (39.4)24 (36.4)61 (38.1)
BCLC stage0.966
    A6 (6.4)4 (6.1)10 (6.3)
    B17 (18.1)13 (19.7)30 (18.8)
    C71 (75.5)49 (74.2)120 (75.0)
Table 2 Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses of risk factors for overall survival
    
UnivariateHR (95%CI)
P value
MultivariateHR (95%CI)
P value
Age (yr)
    ≤ 601.0
    > 601.222 (0.763-1.958)0.403
Gender
    Male1.0
    Female1.127 (0.669-1.898)0.653
Aetiology
    Other1.0
    Viral hepatitis1.464 (0.810-2.646)0.207
ECOG PS
    01.0
    ≥ 12.010 (1.229-3.288)0.0051.754 (1.045-2.944)0.033
Child-Pugh grade
    A1.0
    B1.348 (0.798-2.276)0.264
AFP (ng/mL)
    ≤ 4001.0
    > 4001.401 (0.920-2.133)0.116
PIVKA-II (mAU/mL)
    ≤ 1001.0
    > 1001.942 (1.142-3.302)0.014
    CAR
    ≤ 1.201.0
    > 1.202.264 (1.480-3.464)0.0002.118 (1.057-4.243)0.034
Tumor size (cm)
    ≤ 51.0
    > 52.671 (1.451-4.971)0.002
Tumor number
    Single1.0
    Multiple3.328 (1.452-7.682)0.0042.932 (1.246-6.897)0.014
Extrahepatic metastasis
    -1.0
    +1.121 (0.735-1.709)0.597
Macrovascular invasion
    -1.0
    +1.550 (1.015-2.367)0.042
Diabetes
    No1.0
    Yes0.934 (0.467-1.868)0.848
Hypertension
    No1.0
    Yes0.902 (0.508-1.602)0.726
Smoke
    No1.0
    Yes1.634 (1.068-2.501)0.024
Drink
    No1.0
    Yes1.386 (0.911-2.111)0.128
Cirrhosis
    No1.0
    Yes0.899 (0.589-1.372)0.622
Previous TACE
    No1.0
    Yes0.897 (0.587-1.371)0.615
Previous ablation
    No1.0
    Yes0.719 (0.346-1.497)0.378
Previous operation
    No1.0
    Yes0.555 (0.351-0.878)0.012
CRP (mg/L)1.008 (1.002-1.014)0.005
ALB (g/L)0.944 (0.902-0.988)0.013
AST (U/L)1.006 (1.003-1.010)0.000
ALT (U/L)1.004 (0.998-1.011)0.219
PLR0.999 (0.997-1.002)0.562
LCR0.771 (0.065-9.087)0.836
NLR1.036 (0.953-1.126)0.410
Table 3 Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses of risk factors for progression free survival.
    
UnivariateHR (95%CI)
P value
MultivariateHR (95%CI)
P value
Age (yr)
    ≤ 601.0
    > 601.036 (0.706-1.521)0.856
Gender
    Male1.0
    Female1.181 (0.765-1.824)0.453
Aetiology
    Other1.0
    Viral hepatitis1.535 (0.962-2.450)0.072
ECOG PS
    01.0
    ≥ 11.258 (0.881-1.797)0.206
Child-Pugh grade
    A1.0
    B1.430 (0.926-2.208)0.106
AFP (ng/mL)
    ≤ 4001.0
    > 4001.321 (0.943-1.849)0.105
PIVKA-II (mAU/mL)
    ≤ 1001.0
    > 1001.013 (0.698-1.471)0.944
CAR
    ≤ 1.201.0
    > 1.203.467 (2.342-5.132)0.0002.730 (1.502-4.961)0.001
Tumor size (cm)
    ≤ 51.0
    > 51.295 (0.882-1.901)0.188
Tumor number
    Single1.0
    Multiple1.653 (1.054-2.591)0.0281.584 (1.003-2.500)0.048
Extrahepatic metastasis
    -1.0
    +1.154 (0.827-1.609)0.400
Macrovascular invasion
    -1.0
    +1.083 (0.774-1.514)0.642
Diabetes
    No1.0
    Yes0.967 (0.573-1.632)0.900
Hypertension
    No1.0
    Yes0.969 (0.613-1.530)0.892
Smoke
    No1.0
    Yes1.349 (0.962-1.892)0.082
Drink
    No1.0
    Yes1.091 (0.781-1.524)0.609
Cirrhosis
    No1.0
    Yes1.169 (0.837-1.632)0.360
Previous TACE
    No1.0
    Yes0.905 (0.646-1.267)0.561
Previous ablation
    No1.0
    Yes1.361 (0.806-2.297)0.249
Previous operation
    No1.0
    Yes1.143 (0.812-1.609)0.442
CRP (mg/L)1.014 (1.008-1.019)0.000
ALB (g/L)0.950 (0.918-0.983)0.004
AST (U/L)1.001 (0.997-1.004)0.771
ALT (U/L)0.999 (0.993-1.005)0.643
PLR1.000 (0.998-1.002)0.733
LCR0.064 (0.006-0.722)0.026
NLR1.092 (1.006-1.186)0.0361.120 (1.022-1.228)0.015