TABLE 2.
Baseline characteristics in CTC‐positive HCC patients
| Before propensity matching (n = 221) | After propensity matching (n = 128) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control | TACE | Control | TACE | ||||
| Variable | (n = 146) | (n = 75) | P‐value | (n = 64) | (n = 64) | P‐value | |
| Gender | Male | 124 (84.9%) | 62 (82.7%) | .662 | 54 (84.4%) | 55 (85.9%) | .804 |
| Female | 22 (15.1%) | 13 (17.3%) | 10 (15.6%) | 9 (14.1%) | |||
| Age (years) | ≤50 | 63 (43.2%) | 32 (42.7%) | .945 | 27 (42.2%) | 26 (40.6%) | .858 |
| >50 | 83 (56.8%) | 43 (57.3%) | 37 (57.8%) | 38 (59.4%) | |||
| CTC count | Mean ± SD | 4.17 ± 7.47 | 4.89 ± 9.25 | .554 | 5.03 ± 10.07 | 5.42 ± 9.91 | .931 |
| Tumor number | Single | 112 (76.7%) | 47 (62.7%) | .028 | 39 (60.9%) | 40 (62.5%) | .856 |
| Multiple | 34 (23.3%) | 28 (37.3%) | 25 (39.1%) | 24 (37.5%) | |||
| Tumor diameter (cm) | ≤5 | 91 (62.3%) | 37 (49.3%) | .064 | 32 (50.0%) | 31 (48.4%) | .860 |
| >5 | 55 (37.7%) | 38 (50.7%) | 32 (50.0%) | 33 (51.6%) | |||
| Tumor capsule | Complete | 93 (63.7%) | 45 (60.0%) | .591 | 40 (62.5%) | 41 (64.1%) | .855 |
| None | 53 (36.3%) | 30 (40.0%) | 24 (37.5%) | 23 (35.9%) | |||
| Vascular invasion | No | 94 (64.4%) | 27 (36.0%) | <.001 | 23 (35.9%) | 26 (40.6%) | .585 |
| Yes | 52 (35.6%) | 48 (64.0%) | 41 (64.1%) | 38 (59.4%) | |||
| Edmondson stage | I‐II | 93 (63.7%) | 39 (52.0%) | .093 | 38 (59.4%) | 34 (53.1%) | .476 |
| III‐IV | 53 (36.3%) | 36 (48.0%) | 26 (40.6%) | 30 (46.9%) | |||
| Liver cirrhosis | No | 60 (41.1%) | 35 (46.7%) | .428 | 26 (40.6%) | 29 (45.3%) | .592 |
| Yes | 86 (58.9%) | 40 (53.3%) | 38 (59.4%) | 35 (54.7%) | |||
| HBsAg | Negative | 19 (13.0%) | 10 (13.3%) | .947 | 8 (12.5%) | 9 (14.1%) | .795 |
| Positive | 127 (87.0%) | 65 (86.7%) | 56 (87.5%) | 55(85.9%) | |||
| AFP (ng/mL) | ≤400 | 97 (66.4%) | 51 (68.0%) | .815 | 36 (56.3%) | 43 (67.2%) | .203 |
| >400 | 49 (33.6%) | 24 (32.0%) | 28 (43.7%) | 21 (32.8%) | |||
| ALT (U/L) | ≤50 | 112 (76.7%) | 59 (78.7%) | .742 | 46 (71.9%) | 50 (78.1%) | .414 |
| >50 | 34 (23.3%) | 16 (21.3%) | 18 (28.1%) | 14 (21.9%) | |||
| GGT (U/L) | ≤60 | 83 (56.8%) | 46 (61.3%) | .522 | 36 (56.3%) | 38 (59.4%) | .720 |
| >60 | 63 (43.2%) | 29 (38.7%) | 28 (43.7%) | 26 (40.6%) | |||
| Child‐Pugh class | A | 144 (98.6%) | 74 (98.8%) | 1.000 a | 63 (98.4%) | 63 (98.4%) | 1.000 a |
| B | 2 (1.4%) | 1 (1.2%) | 1 (1.6%) | 1 (1.6%) | |||
| BCLC stage | 0‐A | 109 (74.7%) | 44 (58.7%) | .015 | 38 (59.4%) | 38 (59.4%) | 1.000 |
| B‐C | 37 (25.3%) | 31 (41.3%) | 26 (40.6%) | 26 (40.6%) | |||
| CNLC stage | I | 109 (74.7%) | 44 (58.7%) | .015 | 38 (59.4%) | 38 (59.4%) | 1.000 |
| II‐III | 37 (25.3%) | 31 (41.3%) | 26 (40.6%) | 26 (40.6%) | |||
a
Continuous correction.
Bold P‐values indicates statistical significance.
Abbreviations: AFP, alpha‐fetoprotein; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; BCLC, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging system; CNLC, Liver Cancer Guidelines in China; CTC, circulating tumor cell; GGT, gamma‐glutamyl transpeptidase; HBsAg, Hepatitis B surface antigen; HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; TACE, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization.