Table 2.
Radiological and laboratory characteristics of the study population after transarterial chemoembolization procedures and tumour histopathological data n (%)
| Variable | All treated patients (n = 70) |
| Pre-LT radiological evaluation | |
| mRECIST overall response | |
| Complete/partial response | 24 (34.3)/26 (37.1) |
| Stable/progressive disease | 10 (14.3)/10 (14.3) |
| EASL overall response | |
| Complete/partial response | 24 (34.3/25 (35.7) |
| Stable/progressive disease | 11 (15.7)/10 (14.3) |
| Number of enhancing nodules [median (IQRs)] | 1 (0.0-2.0) |
| None/single/multiple | 24 (34.3)/22 (31.4)/24 (34.3) |
| Sum of enhancing diameters (cm) [median (IQRs)] | 1.4 (0.0-3.3) |
| Sum of enhancing diameters > 5 cm | 8 (11.4) |
| Diameter of the largest enhancing nodule (cm) [median (IQRs)] | 1.3 (0.0-2.1) |
| Diameter of the largest enhancing nodule > 5 cm | 1 (1.4) |
| Pre-LT laboratory evaluation | |
| 1AFP (ng/mL) [median (IQRs)] | 13.5 (5.3-65.0) |
| AFP > 400 ng/mL | 6 (9.1) |
| 2AFP increase > 15 ng/mL per month | 6 (10.2) |
| NLR [median (IQRs)] | 2.6 (1.8-3.8) |
| NLR > 4 | 15 (21.4) |
| 3NLR increase > 0.24 | 16 (29.6) |
| PLR [median (IQRs)] | 62.9 (49.7-85.9) |
| PLR > 150 | 5 (7.1) |
| 3PLR increase > 3.04 | 16 (29.6) |
| AST/ALT (UI/L) [median (IQRs)] | 68 (43-100)/49 (32-76) |
| WBC (× 103/mmc) [median (IQRs)] | 4.7 (3.7-5.8) |
| Tumour histopathological characteristics | |
| Number of viable nodules [median(IQRs)] | 1 (1-3) |
| Number of viable nodules > 3 | 11 (15.7) |
| Tumour differentiation (4Gx/G1-G2/G3-G4) | 14 (20.0)/48 (68.6)/8 (11.4) |
| Microvascular invasion | 8 (11.4) |
| Exceeding Milan criteria | 12 (17.1) |
| Exceeding UCSF criteria | 11 (15.7) |
| % of necrosis on cumulative tumour area (100/99-50/< 50) | 14 (20.0)/28 (40.0)/28 (40.0) |
The AFP value was missing in 4 patients;
The AFP progression value was missing in 11 patients due to the lack of pre-TACE or pre-LT value;
NLR and PLR modification was missing in 6 patients due to the lack of pre-TACE values;
Tumour grading was not available in 14 patients with complete histological necrosis at the explant examination. LT: Liver transplantation; mRECIST: Modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours; EASL: European Association for the Study of the Liver; IQR: Interquartile range; AFP: Alpha-fetoprotein; NLR: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio; PLR: Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; WBC: White blood cell; USCF: University of California San Francisco.