Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of patients in the two groups before and after PSM.
| Before PSM | After PSM | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Characteristics, n (%) | DEB-TACE+ICIs (n=20) |
Chemotherapy (n=29) |
P | DEB-TAEC+ICIs (n=20) |
Chemotherapy (n=20) |
P |
| Median age, years (range) | 59 (34-76) | 59 (31-78) | 0.906 | 59 (34-76) | 59 (31-74) | >0.999 |
| ≤ 60 | 10 (50.0) | 15 (51.7) | 10 (50.0) | 10 (50.0) | ||
| > 60 | 10 (50.0) | 14 (48.3) | 10 (50.0) | 10 (50.0) | ||
| Sex | 0.458 | 0.519 | ||||
| Male | 11 (55.0) | 19 (65.5) | 11 (55.0) | 13 (65.0) | ||
| Female | 9 (45.0) | 10 (34.5) | 9 (45.0) | 7 (35.0) | ||
| ECOG PS | 0.353 | 0.429 | ||||
| 0 | 8 (40.0) | 8 (27.6) | 8 (40.0) | 5 (25.0) | ||
| 1 | 10 (50.0) | 20 (69.0) | 10 (50.0) | 14 (70.0) | ||
| 2 | 2 (10.0) | 1 (3.4) | 2 (10.0) | 1 (5.0) | ||
| Child-Pugh class | 0.388 | 0.348 | ||||
| A5 | 13 (65.0) | 22 (75.9) | 13 (65.0) | 16 (80.0) | ||
| A6 | 3 (15.0) | 5 (17.2) | 3 (15.0) | 3 (15.0) | ||
| B7 | 4 (20.0) | 2 (6.9) | 4 (20.0) | 1 (5.0) | ||
| CA199, U/ml | 0.938 | 0.723 | ||||
| ≤ 37 | 6 (30.0) | 9 (31.0) | 6 (30.0) | 5 (25.0) | ||
| > 37 | 14 (70.0) | 20 (69.0) | 14 (70.0) | 15 (75.0) | ||
| CEA, ng/ml | 0.062 | 0.197 | ||||
| ≤ 5 | 10 (50.0) | 7 (24.1) | 10 (50.0) | 6 (30.0) | ||
| > 5 | 10 (50.0) | 22 (75.9) | 10 (50.0) | 14 (70.0) | ||
| AST, U/L | 32.3±16.3 | 58.1±54.2 | 0.035 | 32.3±16.3 | 38.1±17.4 | 0.377 |
| ALT, U/L | 28 (12-75) | 40 (15-175) | 0.080 | 28 (12-75) | 39.5 (19-175) | 0.137 |
| Albumin, g/dl | 38.8±5.5 | 39.4±3.4 | 0.018 | 38.8±5.5 | 38.6±3.7 | 0.270 |
| Bilirubin (μmol/L) | 11.9 (6.8-36.1) | 14.1 (4.7-95.9) | 0.143 | 11.9 (6.8-36.1) | 12.5 (4.7-95.9) | 0.315 |
| WBC (x109/L) | 7.1±1.6 | 6.3±2.0 | 0.817 | 7.1±1.6 | 6.9±2.0 | 0.640 |
| Neutrophile (x109/L) | 5.1±1.4 | 4.4±1.7 | 0.940 | 5.1±1.4 | 4.9±1.7 | 0.864 |
| PLT (x109/L) | 196±75 | 187±61 | 0.610 | 196±75 | 200±58 | 0.472 |
| HGB (g/L) | 125±18 | 129±18 | 0.870 | 125±18 | 132±17 | 0.897 |
| Tumor number | 0.923 | 0.206 | ||||
| Single | 12 (60.0) | 17 (58.6) | 12 (60.0) | 8 (40.0) | ||
| Multiple | 8 (40.0) | 12 (41.4) | 8 (40.0) | 12 (60.0) | ||
| Tumor size, cm | 6.7±3.0 | 5.8±3.0 | 0.544 | 6.7±3.0 | 6.3±2.9 | 0.889 |
| ≤ 5 | 6 (30.0) | 14 (48.3) | 6 (30.0) | 8 (40.0) | ||
| > 5 | 14 (70.0) | 15 (51.7) | 14 (70.0) | 12 (60.0) | ||
| Tumor differentiation | 0.592 | 0.765 | ||||
| II | 5 (25.0) | 7 (24.1) | 5 (25.0) | 5 (25.0) | ||
| III | 7 (35.0) | 14 (48.3) | 7 (35.0) | 9 (45.0) | ||
| IV | 8 (40.0) | 8 (27.6) | 8 (40.0) | 6 (30.0) | ||
| Extrahepatic metastasis | 0.945 | >0.999 | ||||
| Yes | 15 (75.0) | 22 (75.9) | 15 (75.0) | 15 (75.0) | ||
| No | 5 (25.0) | 7 (24.1) | 5 (25.0) | 5 (25.0) | ||
PSM, propensity score matching; DEB-TACE+ICIs, drug-eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors; ECOG PS, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance score; CA199, Carbohydrate antigen_199; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; CEA, carcinoembryonic antigen; ALT, alanine transaminase; WBC, white blood cell; PLT, platelet; HGB, Hemoglobin.