P-27 DESCRIPTIVE STUDY ON PATIENTS WITH HEPATOCARCINOMA IN A PUBLIC HOSPITAL 2018-2023

Introduction and Objectives

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent malignant tumor of the liver. Patients with chronic liver damage (CLD) are at increased risk of HCC. Periodic screening seeks to increase survival. In Chile, information about patients with HCC is still scarce. This study aimed to describe clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients with HCC from a public hospital in Santiago-Chile, during 2018-2023.

Materials and Methods

retrospective descriptive study on patients with HCC presented to the oncology committee, based on the hospital system's database. Analysis of variables age, sex, presence and characteristics of CLD, screening, tumor characteristics, treatment and survival, and statistical associations with the SPSS program.

Results

114 patients were registered (56% men), with a mean age of 69 years. At diagnosis: 90% had CLD, 33% were diagnosed by screening, 51% with Child-Pugh A score, 52% had only one focal lesion, and the mean tumor size was 6.8 cm. More than 90% were not candidates for transplantation due to the Milan criteria and/or functionality (ECOG). 2 patients were transplanted; 54% were only eligible for palliative care. 64% had died at the time of the study, with an average survival of 179 days (range 1 – 886 days); 68% died within 6 months. There was a higher survival in Child-Pugh A versus C patients, and in screened versus non-screened patients (mean 278 vs. 150 days, respectively), both statistically significant (p<0,05).

Conclusions

The diagnosis of HCC continues to be late, with a low percentage of diagnosis through screening in patients with CLD, decreasing their survival, and with low access to curative therapy and liver transplantation. These data will be used to design a prospective model in order to improve the diagnosis and management of these patients.