Objective:To evaluate the clinical outcomes of radical resection and perioperative management strategies in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with major vascular invasion and tumor thrombus.Methods:This is a retrospective case series study. From January 2010 to December 2022,clinicopathological data of 387 HCC patients who underwent liver resection at the Hepatobiliary Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. In the cohort,there were 326 males (84.2%) and 61 females (15.8%),with an age ( M(IQR)) of 54(16) years (range: 16 to 82 years). One hundred and nineteen patients (30.7%) had macrovascular invasion without thrombus and 268 patients(69.3%) had macrovascular thrombus. Categorical variables were presented as frequencies (percentages). Survival rates were calculated using life-table analysis,and Kaplan-Meier curves were employed to depict overall survival(OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). Independent prognostic factors were identified by univariate and multivariate Cox regression. Results:Among 387 patients,R0 resection was achieved in 359 cases (92.8%),with R1 or R2 resection in 28 cases (7.2%). Excluding in-hospital deaths,the 354 R0-resected patients had a median OS of 19.8 months, with 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 63.3%, 35.1%, and 22.4%, respectively; median RFS was 5.6 months,and 1-, 3-, and 5-year RFS was 34.0%,18.0%,and 14.4%, respectively. Patients receiving preoperative therapy showed a median OS of 26.0 months,1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 75.5%, 48.4%, and 32.5%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the OS of patients with or without preoperative therapy ( P>0.05). The median OS time of patients who received postoperative adjuvant therapy was 53.0 months, and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 87.9%, 59.2%, and 34.8%, respectively. The median OS time of patients who did not receive postoperative adjuvant therapy was 13.7 months, and 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 56.7%, 31.7%, and 22.4%, respectively ( P<0.01). The median RFS of patients who received postoperative adjuvant therapy was 11.6 months, and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year RFS rates were 49.6%, 29.8%, and 26.8%, respectively. The median RFS of patients who did not receive postoperative adjuvant therapy was 4.2 months, and the 1-,3-,and 5-year RFS rates were 29.2%, 16.1%, and 12.5%, respectively ( P<0.01). Multivariate analysis identified that maximum tumor diameter,postoperative adjuvant therapy,and treatment after recurrence were the independent predictors of the OS of patients with major vascular invasion and tumor thrombus (all P<0.05),while age,surgical approach,and postoperative adjuvant therapy independently influenced the RFS of patients with major vascular invasion and tumor thrombus(all P<0.05). Conclusions:HCC patients with vascular invasion/thrombus could benefit from surgery-based multimodal therapy after careful evaluation. Postoperative adjuvant therapy significantly reduces recurrence and prolongs patients′ survival.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical outcomes of radical resection and perioperative management strategies in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with major vascular invasion and tumor thrombus.Methods:This is a retrospective case series study. From January 2010 to December 2022,clinicopathological data of 387 HCC patients who underwent liver resection at the Hepatobiliary Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. In the cohort,there were 326 males (84.2%) and 61 females (15.8%),with an age ( M(IQR)) of 54(16) years (range: 16 to 82 years). One hundred and nineteen patients (30.7%) had macrovascular invasion without thrombus and 268 patients(69.3%) had macrovascular thrombus. Categorical variables were presented as frequencies (percentages). Survival rates were calculated using life-table analysis,and Kaplan-Meier curves were employed to depict overall survival(OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). Independent prognostic factors were identified by univariate and multivariate Cox regression. Results:Among 387 patients,R0 resection was achieved in 359 cases (92.8%),with R1 or R2 resection in 28 cases (7.2%). Excluding in-hospital deaths,the 354 R0-resected patients had a median OS of 19.8 months, with 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 63.3%, 35.1%, and 22.4%, respectively; median RFS was 5.6 months,and 1-, 3-, and 5-year RFS was 34.0%,18.0%,and 14.4%, respectively. Patients receiving preoperative therapy showed a median OS of 26.0 months,1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 75.5%, 48.4%, and 32.5%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the OS of patients with or without preoperative therapy ( P>0.05). The median OS time of patients who received postoperative adjuvant therapy was 53.0 months, and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 87.9%, 59.2%, and 34.8%, respectively. The median OS time of patients who did not receive postoperative adjuvant therapy was 13.7 months, and 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 56.7%, 31.7%, and 22.4%, respectively ( P<0.01). The median RFS of patients who received postoperative adjuvant therapy was 11.6 months, and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year RFS rates were 49.6%, 29.8%, and 26.8%, respectively. The median RFS of patients who did not receive postoperative adjuvant therapy was 4.2 months, and the 1-,3-,and 5-year RFS rates were 29.2%, 16.1%, and 12.5%, respectively ( P<0.01). Multivariate analysis identified that maximum tumor diameter,postoperative adjuvant therapy,and treatment after recurrence were the independent predictors of the OS of patients with major vascular invasion and tumor thrombus (all P<0.05),while age,surgical approach,and postoperative adjuvant therapy independently influenced the RFS of patients with major vascular invasion and tumor thrombus(all P<0.05). Conclusions:HCC patients with vascular invasion/thrombus could benefit from surgery-based multimodal therapy after careful evaluation. Postoperative adjuvant therapy significantly reduces recurrence and prolongs patients′ survival.