Table 3.
Comparison of Clinicopathological Characteristics Between HCC Patients with Low (<6) or High (≥6) CTC Counts
| Variables | CTC<6 | CTC≥6 | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| n = 48 | n = 57 | ||
| Age (years) | |||
| <45 | 15 (31.2) | 28 (49.1) | 0.064 |
| ≥45 | 33 (68.8) | 29 (50.9) | |
| Sex | |||
| Male | 40 (83.3) | 51 (89.5) | 0.356 |
| Female | 8 (16.7) | 6 (10.5) | |
| HBsAg | |||
| Negative | 6 (12.5) | 6 (10.5) | 0.751 |
| Positive | 42 (87.5) | 51 (89.5) | |
| HBV-DNA | |||
| <5.0×102 | 19 (39.6) | 11 (19.3) | 0.022* |
| ≥5.0×102 | 29 (60.4) | 46 (80.7) | |
| AFP (ng/mL) | |||
| <400 | 28 (58.3) | 18 (31.6) | 0.006* |
| ≥400 | 20 (41.7) | 39 (68.4) | |
| Tumor size (cm) | |||
| <5 | 13 (27.1) | 10 (17.5) | 0.239 |
| ≥5 | 35 (72.9) | 47 (82.5) | |
| Tumor number | |||
| Single | 35 (72.9) | 30 (52.6) | 0.033* |
| Multiple | 13 (27.1) | 27 (47.4) | |
| Liver cirrhosis | |||
| Negative | 4 (8.3) | 0 | 0.087 |
| Positive | 44 (91.7) | 57 (100) | |
| Edmondson grade | |||
| III–IV | 16 (33.3) | 26 (45.6) | 0.201 |
| I–II | 32 (66.7) | 31 (54.4) | |
| BCLC stage | |||
| 0–A | 32 (66.7) | 25 (43.9) | 0.019* |
| B–C | 16 (33.3) | 32 (56.1) | |
| Tumor capsule | |||
| Complete | 34 (70.8) | 30 (52.6) | 0.057 |
| Incomplete | 14 (29.2) | 27 (47.4) | |
| MVI | |||
| Negative | 17 (35.4) | 16 (28.1) | 0.419 |
| Positive | 31 (64.6) | 41 (71.9) | |
| PVTT | |||
| Negative | 41 (85.4) | 41 (71.9) | 0.096 |
| Positive | 7 (14.6) | 16 (28.1) | |
Notes: Values are n (%); P < 0.05 was considered significant; *p < 0.05.
Abbreviations: AFP, alpha-fetoprotein; BCLC stage, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage; CTCs, circulating tumor cells; HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; HBV-DNA, hepatitis B virus DNA; HBsAg, hepatitis B surface antigen; MVI, microvascular invasion; PVTT, portal vein tumor thrombosis.