Table 2.
Baseline characteristics of the HCC-related variables in the study population.
| Variable | NAFLD, n = 76 | Non-NAFLD, n = 844 | p value |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFP (ng/ml) | 9.5 (4–463) | 27 (6–443.5) | 0.032 |
| Surveillance before diagnosis | 5/56 (9%) | 144/391 (37%) | <0.001 |
| Median survival (weeks) | 101 (46–106) | 38 (33–44) | 0.006∗ |
| Cancer staging | |||
| T1 | 14/70 (20%) | 131/714 (18%) | 0.002 |
| T2 | 26/70 (37%) | 197/714 (28%) | |
| T3 | 26/70 (37%) | 218/714 (31%) | |
| T4 | 4/70 (6%) | 168/714 (24%) | |
| N0 | 41/47 (87%) | 325/420 (77%) | 0.200 |
| N1 | 6/47 (13%) | 94/420 (22%) | |
| N2 | 0/47 (0%) | 1/420 (0.2%) | |
| M0 | 36/50 (72%) | 250/495 (51%) | 0.004 |
| M1 | 14/50 (28%) | 245/495 (49%) | |
| TNM stage | 0.030 | ||
| 1 (T1N0M0) | 10/50 (20%) | 71/495 (14%) | |
| 2 (T2N0M0) | 13/50 (26%) | 90/495 (18%) | |
| 3 (T3–4N0M0) | 13/50 (26%) | 89/495 (18%) | |
| 4 (N1 or M1) | 14/50 (28%) | 245/495 (49%) | |
| Therapy | |||
| Liver transplantation | 2/73 (3%) | 51/705 (7%) | 0.220 |
| Resection | 15/73 (21%) | 65/705 (9%) | 0.007 |
| RFA | 10/73 (14%) | 68/705 (10%) | 0.303 |
| TACE | 32/73 (44%) | 268/705 (38%) | 0.377 |
| Systemic therapy | 10/73 (14%) | 102/705 (14%) | 1.000 |
| Other | 15/73 (21%) | 77/705 (11%) | 0.020 |
| Best supportive care/no therapy | 20/73 (27%) | 267/705 (38%) | 0.097 |
Differences between groups were tested using the Mann-Whitney U test or Chi-square test as appropriate. ∗Log-rank p value. AFP, alpha-foetoprotein; HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; NAFLD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; RFA, radiofrequency ablation; TACE, transarterial chemoembolisation.