The clinical behavior and survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and a family history of the disease

Abstract

PurposeFamilial clustering is a common feature of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as well as a risk factor for the disease. We aimed to assess whether such a family history affected prognostic outcomes in patients with HCC diagnosed at different stages of the disease.Materials/MethodsThis hospital registry‐based cohort study included 5484 patients initially diagnosed with HCC. Individual family histories of cancer were obtained by interview and reported by trained nurses who constructed three‐generation pedigrees. Overall survival data were compared between cases with and without first‐degree relatives affected by HCC, with adjustment for other potential predictors.ResultsOf 5484 patients, 845 (15.4%) had first‐degree relatives with a history of HCC. Family history was associated with longer survival in the entire cohort (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.89, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.80‐0.98, P = .025). A significant trend for reduced risk of death with increasing number of affected family members was also observed (P for trend = 0.018). The stage‐stratified analysis showed that the presence of family history was especially associated with a reduced risk of death in the subset of patients with HCC at a (very) early stage (adjusted HR 0.83, 95% CI 0.69‐0.99; P = .042). The proportion of cases receiving curative treatment was also higher in early‐stage patients with a family history (72.6% vs 63.3%; P < .001).ConclusionsA first‐degree family history of the disease is a prognostic factor for improved survival in patients with HCC, especially in those whose tumors can be cured by radical treatments.

Clinicogenomic characteristics and synthetic lethal implications of germline homologous recombination‐deficient hepatocellular carcinoma

“…We used self-reported family histories of HCC only in first-degree relatives to minimize biases relevant to recall and ascertainment in our in-house cohort. [52] However, there was limited access to the screening methods used and the extent of family histories in the TCGA cohort. Another consideration is that most cancers included in this study were resectable-stage cancers.…”

Antitumor Effect of Pseudolaric Acid B Involving Regulation of Notch1/Akt Signaling Response in Human Hepatoma Cell In Vitro

“…As reported, the expected 5-year survival rate of advanced HCC patients is 5%–15%. Although sorafenib has been approved for clinical treatment, the severe side effects impede its long-term use [ 37 , 38 ]. Moreover, sorafenib resistance is emerging clinically, and meanwhile, it has been evidenced that the disruption of Notch/Akt signaling could drive malignant behaviors and drug resistance in many cancers [ 39 , 40 ].…”

Family history of cancer is associated with poorer prognosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma

“…First-degree relatives (FDRs) included parents, siblings, and offspring while second-degree relatives (SDRs) included aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and grandparents. (An et al, 2019).…”