Portal vein thrombosis in hepatocellular carcinoma : age and sex distribution in an autopsy study

The purpose of this work was to investigate the prevalence, associated features and effect on survival of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) complicating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The autopsy data of a series of 72 consecutive patients (57 male, 15 female) with HCC were reviewed. PVT was found in 32...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology 1998, Vol.124 (7), p.397-400
Main Authors: PIRISI, M, AVELLINI, C, FABRIS, C, SCOTT, C, BARDUS, P, SOARDO, G, BELTRAMI, C. A, BARTOLI, E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age Factors
Aged
Autopsy
Biological and medical sciences
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - complications
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - mortality
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - pathology
Female
Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen
Humans
Liver Neoplasms - complications
Liver Neoplasms - mortality
Liver Neoplasms - pathology
Liver. Biliary tract. Portal circulation. Exocrine pancreas
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Portal Vein - pathology
Prevalence
Sex Factors
Thrombophlebitis - complications
Thrombophlebitis - mortality
Thrombophlebitis - pathology
Tumors
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Summary:The purpose of this work was to investigate the prevalence, associated features and effect on survival of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) complicating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The autopsy data of a series of 72 consecutive patients (57 male, 15 female) with HCC were reviewed. PVT was found in 32/72 patients (44%), and tended to be more common in female patients (10/15 versus 22/57, P = 0.052). Stratifying the data according to gender, it appeared that the mean age of patients with PVT compared to those without was greater in woman (71.9 +/- 5.9 versus 63.2 +/- 6.9 years, P = 0.024) and younger in men (58.8 +/- 8.9 versus 66.0 +/- 9.9 years, P = 0.007). When PVT was present, it was more likely that a definite diagnosis of HCC had been obtained before autopsy (P = 0.0001) and that death had been caused by bleeding complications (P = 0.007). Median survival times were similar, irrespective of the presence of PVT. During the natural history of HCC, PVT occurs in a substantial proportion of patients. Hormonal factors may have a permissive role in thrombus formation or neoplastic vascular invasion. Although in the presence of PVT a diagnosis of HCC is rarely missed and bleeding complications are likely to occur, patient survival does not seem to be significantly affected.
ISSN:0171-5216
1432-1335
DOI:10.1007/s004320050189