Oh IS, et al. - Authors carried out this study to assess if albumin–bilirubin (ALBI) grade could be used to predict the overall survival of very early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients treated with radiofrequency ablation (RF ablation). In this study, ALBI grade proved a good stratifying biomarker among patients with very early-stage HCC treated with RF ablation. For very early-stage HCC treated with RF ablation, ALBI grade seemed superior for assessing liver function, to Child-Pugh score.

Methods

• A retrospective analysis was performed of a cohort of 368 patients with very early-stage HCC treated with RF ablation.
• Groups classified by ALBI grade and Child–Pugh score were assessed for overall survival and recurrence-free survival.

Results

• ALBI grade 1 patients indicated better overall survival in comparison to that of patients with ALBI grade 2 (5-year survival rate 88.5 vs. 73.8%, P < 0.001).
• Multivariable-adjusted model suggested that ALBI grade was an independent factor associated with overall survival (hazard ratio 2.44; 95% confidence interval 1.43–4.15).
• ALBI grade seemed capable of stratifying patients with distinct overall survival among patients within the same Child–Pugh score (5-year survival rate for Child–Pugh score 5: 88.5 vs. 76.6%, P = 0.002; for Child–Pugh score 6: 88.9 vs. 70.1%, P = 0.064).
• However, Child–Pugh score failed to stratify patients with distinct overall survival within the same ALBI grade.