Improved survival outcome of curative liver resection for Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C hepatocellular carcinoma in the era of tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Abstract Aim This study was undertaken to evaluate the outcome of curative liver resection, (LR) of Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C hepatocellular carcinoma (BCLC‐C HCC) after tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) became approved as a treatment option for recurrent lesions. Methods Sixty‐seven patients with BCLC‐C HCC who underwent curative LR were enrolled in this study. The patients were classified into two groups according to whether LR was performed before ( n = 24) or after ( n = 43) TKI approval (“beforeTKI” and “afterTKI” group, respectively). Results There was no difference in the median disease‐free survival time after LR between the beforeTKI and afterTKI groups (5.6 and 7.1 months, respectively; p = 0.435). However, the median survival time after LR was longer in the afterTKI than beforeTKI group (42.7 and 14.9 months, respectively; p = 0.022). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that the date of LR was the only independent factor affecting postresection survival. When the patients were limited to those with recurrence, there were no differences in the recurrence pattern or progression of HCC at the time of recurrence between the two groups. The only difference in the treatment distribution was the administration of TKIs (14 of 34 patients in afterTKI group and only 1 of 19 patients in beforeTKI group, p < 0.001). Conclusion These data suggest that TKI therapy for recurrent BCLC‐C HCC is associated with improved overall survival. Thus, LR could be a promising option for BCLC‐C HCC in the current era of TKI therapy.