Table 4. Univariate and multivariate analysis of predictive factors for progression-free survival.
| Factors | Progression-free survival | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Univariate | Multivariate | |||
| P value | HR | 95% CI | P value | |
| Sex: male vs. female | 0.648 | NA | ||
| Age: > 50 vs. ≤ 50 years | 0.277 | NA | ||
| HBV: positive vs. negative | 0.378 | NA | ||
| Maximum tumor size: > 3 vs. ≤ 3 cm | 0.298 | NA | ||
| AFP level: < 400 vs. ≥ 400 ng/mL | 0.449 | NA | ||
| ECOG PS: 0 vs. 1–2 | 0.586 | NA | ||
| Child-Pugh class: A vs. B | 0.065 | 1.024 | 0.551–1.902 | 0.941 |
| Portal vein thrombus:positive vs. negative | 0.828 | NA | ||
| TNM staging: III vs. IV | 0.066 | 0.609 | 0.296–1.253 | 0.178 |
| Number of CTCs: > 53 vs. ≤ 53a | 0.275 | NA | ||
| pERK+/pAkt+ CTCs: present vs. absent | 0.647 | NA | ||
| pERK+/pAkt− CTCs: present vs. absent | < 0.001 | 9.389 | 3.242–27.192 | < 0.001 |
| pERK−/pAkt+ CTCs: present vs. absent | 0.061 | 1.129 | 0.523–2.437 | 0.757 |
| pERK−/pAkt− CTCs: present vs. absent | 0.132 | NA | ||
Abbreviations: AFP, alpha-fetoprotein; CTC, circulating tumor cell; HBV, hepatitis B virus; TNM, tumor-node-metastasis stage; HR, hazard ratio; CI, confidence interval; NA, not adopted.
Note:
a
53 was the median number of CTCs detected in 59 HCC patients.