Table 2. Univariate and multivariate analysis of factors associated with survival and recurrence.
| Factors | OS | RFS | ||||||
| Univariate P | Multivariate | Univariate P | Multivariate | |||||
| HR | 95% CI | P | HR | 95% CI | P | |||
| HCC (Cohort 1) | ||||||||
| Tumor size: ≤5 vs.>5 cm | <.001 | 2.435 | 1.588–3.736 | <.001 | <.001 | 1.594 | 1.097–2.315 | .014 |
| HBeAg: negative vs. positive | .177 | NA | .006 | 1.443 | 1.019–2.042 | .039 | ||
| Tumor differentiation: Stages I–II vs.III–IV | .001 | 1.661 | 1.112–2.482 | .013 | .011 | NS | ||
| Microvascular invasion: no vs. yes | <.001 | NS | .001 | NS | ||||
| Intrahepatic metastasis: no vs. yes | <.001 | 1.875 | 1.193–2.947 | .006 | <.001 | 2.055 | 1.320–3.200 | .001 |
| TNM stage: I vs. II vs. IIIA | <.001 | 0.368 | 0.128–1.063 | .018 | <.001 | 0.512 | 0.265–0.989 | <.001 |
| Intratumoral α-SMA density: low vs. high | .071 | NS | .079 | NS | ||||
| Intratumoral MVD: low vs. high | <.001 | 4.236 | 2.659–6.747 | <.001 | <.001 | 2.585 | 1.784–3.745 | <.001 |
| Combine α-SMA density and MVD*,‡ | <.001 | 1.381 | 0.830–2.296 | <.001 | <.001 | 1.325 | 0.801–2.191 | <.001 |
| PC (Cohort 2) | ||||||||
| Tumor size: ≤3 vs.>3 cm | .751 | NA | .431 | NA | ||||
| Nodal involvement: no vs. yes | .724 | NA | .077 | NS | ||||
| Microvascular invasion: no vs. yes | .018 | NS | .001 | 3.267 | 1.375–7.764 | .007 | ||
| Tumor differentiation: Grades 1–2 vs. 3–4 | .019 | 0.139 | 0.039–0.494 | .002 | .918 | NA | ||
| TNM stage: IB and IIA vs.IIB | .250 | NA | .389 | NA | ||||
| Intratumoral α-SMA density: low vs. high | .072 | NS | .107 | NS | ||||
| Intratumoral MVD: low vs. high | .046 | 3.578 | 1.247–10.265 | .018 | .008 | 2.230 | 1.061–4.688 | .034 |
| Combine α-SMA density and MVD†,‡ | .026 | 6.294 | 1.224–32.357 | .028 | <.001 | 2.534 | 0.866–7.411 | .009 |
Patients were classified into four groups according to their intratumoral α-SMA density and MVD: group I (n = 68), both low density; group II (n = 84), high α-SMA density and low MVD; group III (n = 86), low α-SMA density but high MVD; and group IV (n = 67), both high density.
Group I (n = 14), both low density; group II (n = 15), high α-SMA density and low MVD; group III (n = 13), low α-SMA density but high MVD; and group IV (n = 15), both high density.
The multivariate analysis of different subgroups of α-SMA and MVD was analyzed together with other risk factors identified by univariate analysis but excluding α-SMA and MVD themselves, in order to avoiding the interference of them on the combinational group.
Abbreviations: OS, overall survival; RFS, recurrence free survival; HR, hazard ratio; CI, confidence interval; HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; HBeAg, hepatitis B e antigen; TNM, tumor-node-metastasis; α-SMA, alpha-smooth muscle actin; MVD, microvessel density; PC, pancreatic cancer; NA, not adapted; NS, not significant.