Alcohol consumption and recurrence of non-B or non-C hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatectomy: a propensity score analysis

Background The aim of this study was to identify factors related to the recurrence of non-B or non-C (NBNC) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Study design Between April 2000 and March 2012, out of 621 consecutive HCC patients at our institution, 543 who underwent initial hepatectomy and had no extrahepatic metastases were enrolled in the study. Multivariate analysis were performed to identify risk factors for poor disease-free survival (DFS). Results The 5-year DFS rate of NBNC (34 %) was better than that of hepatitis virus B (30 %, P = 0.011) and hepatitis virus C (21 %, P<0.0001), significantly. Multivariate analysis revealed NBNC [hazard ratio (HR), 0.5; 95 % CI, 0.4-0.8; P<0.0001)] to be an independent factor for DFS rate. We constructed a propensity score matching model with the 543 patients, and the 5-year DFS rates with and without severe alcohol liver disease (ALD) were 31.6 and 47.5 %, respectively (P = 0.013). In the 163 NBNC patients, severe ALD, mild ALD, and no ALD were seen in 35, 56, and 72 patients, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed a vascular invasion into the hepatic vein (HR, 3.3; 95 % CI, 1.7-6.3; P<0.0001) and severe ALD (HR, 2.0; 95 % CI, 1.1-3.6; P = 0.020) to be independent risk factors for poor DFS. By propensity score matching between mild and severe ALD, the 5-year DFS rates with severe and mild ALD were 26 and 50 %, respectively (P = 0.035). Conclusions The prognoses of NBNC patients were better than those of patients with viral infections. Among the NBNC patients, preoperative excessive alcohol intake decreased DFS rate of HCC occurrence after surgery.